prostate specific antigen

Thân thiện

A doctor reviews a patient's prostate specific antigen test results.

Definition

Noun: A protein produced solely by the prostate gland. In semen, it helps to liquefy the ejaculate, enabling sperm to move. In clinical medicine, the level of this antigen in a man's blood is measured as a biomarker; higher-than-normal levels can be associated with prostate conditions, including benign enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and prostate cancer.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor ordered a prostate specific antigen test during the routine check-up.
  • A rising prostate specific antigen level over time may require further investigation.
  • The primary function of prostate specific antigen is to aid in fertility by liquefying semen.

Advanced Usage

• "PSA level": The measured concentration of prostate specific antigen in the blood, typically reported in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).
  • His PSA level was monitored annually.
• "PSA test/screening": A blood test used to measure the amount of prostate specific antigen.
  • The debate continues about the benefits and risks of routine PSA screening for healthy men.
• "PSA density": A calculation that considers the PSA level relative to the size of the prostate gland.
• "PSA velocity": The rate of change in PSA levels over time.

Variants and Related Words

• PSA (Noun): The common initialism for "prostate specific antigen."
  • The results of your PSA came back.
• Prostate-specific antigen (Noun): A hyphenated variant of the term.

Synonyms

• PSA: The universal acronym used in both medical and lay contexts.
• Gamma-seminoprotein (Technical): An older, less common synonym.
• Kallikrein-3 (KLK3) (Technical): The gene and enzyme name for the protein.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Elevated PSA: A PSA level above the expected normal range for a man's age.
• False-positive PSA: A test result indicating a high PSA level when no significant prostate disease is present.
• PSA recurrence: A rising PSA level after treatment for prostate cancer, suggesting the disease may have returned.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a protein manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; PSA is produced for the ejaculate where it liquifies the semen and allows sperm cells to swim freely; elevated levels of PSA in blood serum are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer

Từ đồng nghĩa

• psa