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Dictionary of Cancer Terms
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radical prostatectomy (RA-dih-kul PROS-tuh-TEK-toh-mee)

 Surgery to remove the entire prostate. The two types of radical prostatectomy are retropubic prostatectomy (surgery through an incision in the wall of the abdomen) and perineal prostatectomy (surgery through an incision between the scrotum and the anus).

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Two panel drawing showing two ways of doing a radical prostatectomy; in the first panel, dotted line shows where incision is made through the wall of the abdomen for a retropubic prostatectomy; in the second panel, dotted line shows where incision is made in area between the scrotum and the anus for a perineal prostatectomy.

Previous Definitions:radical local excision, radical lymph node dissection, radical mastectomy, radical nephrectomy, radical perineal prostatectomy
Next Definitions:radical retropubic prostatectomy, radical vulvectomy, radioactive, radioactive drug, radioactive fallout