Prostate Cancer in Spanish

What it means

Prostate cancer is cancer that begins in the cells of the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system that lies just below the bladder and makes fluid that is part of semen. It is one of the most common types of cancer. It often grows very slowly, but sometimes it can grow quickly and spread to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer does not always cause symptoms, especially at first. Tests that check for it include a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, and a biopsy is the only way to diagnose it. The National Cancer Institute dictionary adds that prostate cancer usually occurs in older men.

Spanish term: Cáncer de próstata
Gender and article: masculine: el cáncer de próstata
Pronunciation: KAHN-sehr deh PROHS-tah-tah

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
cáncer prostático	General	The name MedlinePlus en español gives under 'Otros nombres' on its prostate cancer page.

Cáncer de próstata is the term used by MedlinePlus en español and by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. Cáncer is masculine (el cáncer de próstata), while the gland is feminine (la próstata). MedlinePlus en español lists cáncer prostático under other names, and the same adjective appears in glándula prostática (prostate gland) and antígeno prostático específico (prostate-specific antigen). The encyclopedia article keeps the English abbreviation for that blood test: PSA, por sus siglas en inglés.

For the digital rectal exam, the Spanish topic page writes examen rectal digital, and the encyclopedia article writes tacto rectal. Other words on these pages are biopsia de próstata (prostate biopsy), puntaje de Gleason (Gleason score), espera vigilante (watchful waiting), vigilancia activa (active surveillance) and agrandamiento de la próstata (enlarged prostate). The encyclopedia article names benign prostatic hyperplasia hiperplasia prostática benigna and abbreviates it HPB.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I get up several times a night to urinate, and the stream is weak.	Me levanto varias veces por la noche a orinar, y el chorro es débil.
Clinician	Has your father or a brother had prostate cancer?	¿Su padre o algún hermano ha tenido cáncer de próstata?
Clinician	I am going to order a PSA blood test.	Voy a pedirle una prueba de sangre de PSA.
Patient	Does a high PSA level mean that I have cancer?	¿Un nivel alto de PSA significa que tengo cáncer?
Clinician	Not necessarily. A biopsy is the only way to diagnose prostate cancer.	No necesariamente. Una biopsia es la única manera de diagnosticar el cáncer de próstata.
Patient	What does the Gleason score on my biopsy report mean?	¿Qué significa el puntaje de Gleason en el informe de mi biopsia?
Patient	Has the cancer spread outside the prostate?	¿El cáncer se ha propagado fuera de la próstata?
Patient	What is the difference between watchful waiting and active surveillance?	¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la espera vigilante y la vigilancia activa?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Prostate Cancer
Spanish (Español)	Cáncer de próstata
Chinese (中文)	前列腺癌
Korean (한국어)	전립선암
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Ung thư tuyến tiền liệt
Filipino (Tagalog)	Kanser sa prostate
Portuguese (Português)	Câncer de próstata
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	มะเร็งต่อมลูกหมาก
Japanese (日本語)	前立腺がん

Where you'll see it

oncology reportreferralmedical recordchart

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: C61 → Malignant neoplasm of prostate

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Reproductive health and pregnancy

All terms in this area: Reproductive health and pregnancy — Salud reproductiva y embarazo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.