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Glossary

This website includes an online glossary. Throughout the site you may see words and phrases that are linked with a certain layout and a small icon. You can get more information about a glossary term by clicking on it when you see it linked like the example term in this sentence.

Cancer Dictionary - Terms beginning with 'P'

Paget's Disease

Palate

Palliative Treatment

Pancreas

Pancreatectomy

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatitis

Pap Test

Papilloma

Paracentesis

Paranasal sinuses

Paraprotein

Parotid Gland

Partial Cystectomy

Partial Nephrectomy

Pathologist

Pathology

Patient-Controlled Analgesic (Pca)

Pedicle

Peg

Pelvic Examination

Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection

Pelvis/Pelvic

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (Peg)

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (Picc)

Peritoneum (Adj. Peritoneal)

Pet (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan

Pharynx

Phlegm

Pituitary Gland

Placebo effect

Plasma

Plasma Cells

Plasma Exchange

Plasmapheresis

Plastic Surgeon

Plastic Surgery

Platelets

Pleura

Pleural Cavity

Pleural Effusion

Pneumonectomy

Polyp

Precancerous

Premature Ejaculation

Primary Cancer

Progesterone

Progesterone Receptor

Progesterone Receptor Test

Prognosis

Prostate Cancer

Prostate Gland

Prostatectomy

Prostate-Specific Antigen (Psa)

Prosthesis

Prosthodontist

Protein

Protocol

Psa

Pulmonary

Pulmonary Function Tests

Pump

Cancer Dictionary

Click any letter for dictionary terms beginning with the letter selected.

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RAP
Cancer Council Victoria would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work. We would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present and extend that respect to all other Aboriginal people.
  • Cancer information
    • Cancer information

    • What is cancer?
      • What is cancer?

        Where cancer starts, how it spreads, common risk factors and symptoms.

    • Types of cancer
      • Types of cancer

        Explore our A-Z list of cancer types, with information on diagnosis and treatment.

    • Treatments
      • Treatment types
      • Treatment centres
      • Clinical trials
      • Making decisions about your care
    • Rare and less common cancers
      • Rare and less common cancers

        A cancer is rare or less common when it only affects a small number of people.

    • Advanced cancer
      • What is advanced cancer?
      • Treatment
      • Managing symptoms
      • Planning ahead
      • Caring for someone with advanced cancer
    • Genetics and risk
      • Family history and cancer
      • Genetic testing and counselling
      • Familial cancer centres
    • Children, teens and young adults
      • Diagnosing children's cancers
      • Reactions and emotions
      • Treating children's cancers
      • Types of children's cancers
      • During and after cancer
      • Cancer and school
      • Facts and figures
  • Managing daily life
    • Managing daily life

    • Common side effects
      • Breast prostheses and reconstruction
      • Fatigue
      • Fertility
      • Hair loss
      • Lymphoedema
      • Mouth health
      • Nerve pain and numbness
      • Pain
      • Taste and smell changes
      • Thinking and memory changes
      • Complementary therapies
    • Emotions
      • Emotions

        It is normal to experience a range of emotions when you have cancer.

    • Grief
      • Grief

        Grief is the process of responding to loss and it can affect all parts of your life.

    • Nutrition
      • Nutrition

        Eating well is beneficial during and after cancer treatment.

    • Exercise
      • Exercise

        Aerobic, strength, flexibility and pelvic floor exercises for people with cancer.

    • Cancer and pregnancy
      • Cancer and pregnancy

        Being diagnosed with cancer while you are pregnant is rare, but it can happen.

    • Sexuality and intimacy
      • Sexuality and intimacy

        Cancer may affect the role sexuality and intimacy play in your life. 

    • Learning to relax
      • Learning to relax

        Coping with cancer is challenging and it is important to look after yourself.

    • Managing special occasions
      • Managing special occasions

        Tips to help you make the most of special occasions and manage holidays. 

    • Living well after cancer
      • Living well after cancer

        You may continue to face challenges even after cancer treatment has ended. 

  • Get support
    • Get support

    • Cancer and COVID-19
      • Cancer and COVID-19

        Learn about cancer and COVID-19, and updates about our support services.

    • Contact cancer support
      • Contact cancer support

        Speak to our trusted and compassionate cancer nurses on 13 11 20 or via email. 

    • My cancer guide
      • My cancer guide

        A guide to support services available to Victorians affected by cancer.

    • Facing end of life
      • Facing end of life

        Information on dealing with, planning for and looking after somone at the end of life.

    • Caring for someone with cancer
      • Caring for someone with cancer

        Caring can be rewarding but also challenging, both physically and emotionally.

    • Wig service
      • Wig service
      • Donate a wig
      • Donating your hair
    • Connect and learn
      • Cancer Connect
      • Managing Cancer Workshops
      • Support groups
      • Online community
      • Cancer Wellness Program
      • Contact a Cancer Nurse
      • Newsletter sign-up
    • Financial and legal
      • Financial and legal

        Information and support programs related to legal and financial matters.

    • Cancer counselling services
      • Cancer counselling services

        Free, short term phone counselling services to help you work through any cancer related concerns.

    • Work
      • Work

        Information for employees and employers.

    • Holiday break program
      • Holiday break program

        Free short breaks for those affected by cancer and their families.

    • LGBTIQ+ communities
      • LGBTIQ+ communities

        Cancer information and support services for LGBTIQ+ communities.

    • Aboriginal communities
      • Aboriginal communities

        Cancer information and support services for Victorian Aboriginal communities.

  • Prevention
    • Prevention

    • Get checked
      • Find bowel cancer early
      • Breast health
      • Prevent cervical cancer
      • Prostate health
      • Hepatitis B & liver cancer
    • Limit alcohol
      • Alcohol causes at least 7 types of cancer
      • How alcohol causes cancer
      • Safe level of alcohol
      • Defining a standard drink
      • Standard drink tool
      • Tips to reduce your drinking
      • Drinking alcohol when you have cancer
      • For health professionals
      • Our policy work on alcohol
    • Be a healthy weight
      • Be a healthy weight

        Convincing evidence links obesity to various cancers.

    • Eat a healthy diet
      • Eat a healthy diet

        We recommend a healthy body weight, regular exercise and a healthy diet.

    • Be SunSmart
      • Be SunSmart

        It's preventable but nearly 2,000 Australians die of skin cancer each year.

    • Quit smoking
      • Quit smoking

        Each year 15,000 Australians are diagnosed with smoking-related cancer.

    • Be physically active
      • Be physically active

        Evidence links physical activity to reduced breast and colon cancer risk.

    • Workplaces
      • Workplaces

        Tips to cut your cancer risk in the workplace.
  • Research
    • Research

    • Research news
      • Research news

        Get the latest cancer research news.
    • Research grants
      • Apply for funding
      • Cancer Trials Management Scheme Competitive Grants
      • Grants-in-Aid
      • Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
      • Summer Vacation Studentships
      • Colebatch Clinical Research Fellowship
      • Research Fellowships
      • Sir Edward Dunlop Research Fellowship
      • Venture Grants
      • Search research projects
    • Clinical Trials
      • Clinical Trials

        Find out how we help patients access clinical trials.

    • Search our research
      • Search our research

        Search the vast number of projects we've been involved in over the years.

    • Meet our researchers
      • Meet our researchers

        Team of researchers who have expanded our understanding of cancer.

    • Our Forgotten Cancers Program
      • Our Forgotten Cancers Program

        Improving survival for less common and low survival cancers.

    • Research ethics and guidelines
      • Research ethics and guidelines

        Learn about our research ethics and research practice guidelines.

    • Research integrity
      • Research integrity

        Principles for the responsible and ethical conduct of research.

    • McCabe Centre for Law & Cancer
      • McCabe Centre for Law & Cancer

        Find out how we use the law to prevent cancer and to protect people affected by it.

    • Victorian Cancer Registry
      • Latest VCR annual statistics & trends report
      • Individual cancer fact sheets
      • Accessing and requesting data
      • About us
      • Our services
    • Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer
      • Meet the team
      • Major research projects
      • Search our research
    • Cancer Epidemiology Division
      • About CED
      • Publications
      • Programs and studies
      • Genetic epidemiology
      • Prostate cancer epidemiology
      • Collaborate with CED
      • Dietary questionnaires
      • Health 2020
      • ABC Study
      • Contact the Cancer Epidemiology Division
  • Get involved
    • Get involved

    • Donate
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      • Make a one-off donation
      • Make a regular donation
      • Leave a gift in your Will
      • Honour your loved one
      • Give in celebration
    • Leave a gift in your Will
      • Leave a gift in your Will

        A gift of hope for generations to come.
    • Fundraise
      • Daffodil Day
      • Fundraise your way
      • Dry July
      • Shave or chop your hair
      • Get active
      • Celebrate
      • Relay For Life
      • Girls' Night In
      • Walking Stars
      • The Longest Day
      • The March Charge
      • Australia's Biggest Morning Tea
    • Volunteer with us
      • Volunteer with us

        Join the fight against cancer and volunteer with us.

    • Community engagement
      • Community engagement

        Share your story to help others, give back and be heard.

    • Give a major gift
      • Give a major gift

        Learn more about philanthropy at Cancer Council Victoria.

    • Become a corporate supporter
      • Become a corporate supporter

        There are many ways corporates can support our work.
    • Honour your loved one
      • Honour your loved one

        Create a lasting space to remember your loved one or give in memory.

    • Give in celebration
      • Give in celebration

        Make a lasting contribution when you celebrate your next special occasion.

    • Donate a holiday
      • Donate a holiday

        Give a cancer patient some time away in your holiday home.
    • Shop online
      • Shop online

        Cancer Council's online store  offers ultimate sun protection solutions.

  • Health professionals
    • Health professionals

    • Cancer and COVID-19
      • Cancer and COVID-19

        Learn about cancer and COVID-19, and support services for your patients.

    • News
      • News

        Read our latest news for health professionals.

    • Cancer support referral
      • Cancer support referral

        Request a call back from a cancer nurse for one of your patients or carers.
    • Order free publications
      • Order free publications

        Order a limited number of our free booklets and brochures.

    • Education and training
      • Cancer education programs
      • Effective cancer communication
      • eLearning modules
      • Advance care planning webinars
    • Cervical screening providers
      • Cervical screening providers

        Information for Nurse Cervical Screening providers.

    • Optimal Care Pathways
      • Optimal Care Pathways

        The Optimal Care Pathways (formerly Patient Management Frameworks) were developed to provide a consistent statewide approach to care management in each tumour stream.

    • ACCESS Program
      • ACCESS Program

        A program  to improve access to supportive care for people affected by cancer.

    • Clinical Network
      • Clinical Network

        Network of specialist health care professionals.

    • Community health
      • Community health

        Resources and support for Community Health Professionals.

    • Clinical practice guides
      • Clinical practice guides

        Medical guides for specific cancers.

    • Financial and legal referrals
      • Financial Counselling Program
      • Pro Bono Services
    • Resources for dietitians
      • Resources for dietitians

        To support nutritional management of oncology patients.

    • General practice
      • General practice

        Resources and support for general practice.

    • Cancer counselling service
      • Cancer counselling service

        Free, short-term phone counselling service to help your patients.

  • About us
    • About us

    • Contact us
      • Contact us

        Addresses, phone numbers, parking and public transport information.

    • What we do
      • What we do

        Our strategic plan, outlining our mission, values, goals and priorities.

    • Latest news and stories
      • Latest news and stories

        News from Cancer Council Victoria and stories of those affected by cancer.

    • Where the money goes
      • Where the money goes

        See what we spent our money on in 2021.

    • Work with us
      • Job vacancies
      • Volunteer with us
    • Media releases
      • Media releases

        Latest media releases and contacts for media liaison.

    • Policy and Advocacy
      • Policy and Advocacy

        Influencing law and policy to improve cancer outcomes for all Victorians.

    • Governance
      • CEO - Todd Harper
      • Members
      • Board of Directors
      • Executive Sub-Committee
      • Investment Committee
      • Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
      • Standing Research Subcommittee
      • Clinical Network
      • Human Research Ethics
    • Publications and videos
      • Newsletters
    • Annual reviews
      • Archived annual reviews
      • Financial reports
      • Parliamentary reports
    • Our history
      • Our history

        Snapshots of people and events from our long history.

    • Culturally diverse communities
      • Culturally diverse communities

        We work to reduce the impact of cancer in diverse communities.

    • Melbourne retail store
      • Melbourne retail store

        Our Melbourne-based retail shop is now permanently closed. To purchase our products, visit www.cancercouncilshop.org.au.

  • More
    • More