- PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy)
A feeding tube that goes through your abdominal wall (tummy) and into your stomach.
- PICC line (peripherally inserted indwelling catheter)
A thin flexible plastic tube that is inserted into a vein in the crook of your arm and threaded through until the end of the tube lies in a vein near your heart. It allows drugs and drips to be given to you and blood samples to be taken from you. For more information see the chemotherapy section.
- Palliative treatment
Treatment that aims to control symptoms such as sickness and pain but not to cure.
- Physiotherapist (fiz io thera pist)
A person who treats disease by physical manipulation of parts of the body, using ‘hands on’ techniques as well as heat treatment, massage or water therapy. For more information see who does what?
- Platelets (plate lets)
Blood cells that stop us bleeding (for example when we cut ourselves) by making our blood clot.
- Portacath (Implanatable port)
This is a thin, soft plastic tube that is put into a vein and has an opening (port) just under the skin on your chest or arm. It means that drugs can be given into the vein, and blood can be taken from it.
- Primary cancer
Where the cancer originally started.
- Prognosis
The outlook for someone; whether the cancer is likely to be cured.
- Prosthesis
A false part (like a false limb or a silicone ball to replace a testicle).
