prostate-specific antigen

pros·tate-spe·cif·ic antigen

Definition of prostate-specific antigen

: a protease secreted by epithelial cells of the prostate gland that is used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer since its concentration in blood serum tends to be proportional to the clinical stage of the disease —abbreviation PSA

Examples of prostate-specific antigen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web PSAs, or prostate-specific antigens, are cancer biomarkers used to detect cancer through the blood; high levels could mean the presence of cancer cells. — Talis Shelbourne, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Why are there racial disparities in cancer? Doctor gives clues in Milwaukee presentation," 12 Sep. 2019 Miller, 76, wrote that his levels are down for akaline phosphates, which can indicate problems in the bones or liver, as well as of prostate-specific antigens, which indicate prostate cancer levels. — Pamela Wood, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland Senate President Miller: Health news is 'largely good'," 10 June 2019 Given the threat, older men have been routinely undergoing prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, screening to detect the disease. — Peter Loftus, WSJ, "Surgery Adds Three Years to Lives of Prostate-Cancer Patients, Study Finds," 12 Dec. 2018 The new research has reignited debate over screening for prostate cancer through prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. — Washington Post, "The Health 202: How Democrats got a version of 'right to try' they like even less," 23 May 2018 Nevertheless, the new data immediately reignited long-running arguments over the use of screening through prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, tests. — Laurie Mcginley, BostonGlobe.com, "After long decline, death rates from prostate cancer stop falling," 22 May 2018 But according to new research, prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for men in the 55 to 69 age group could prevent 1.3 deaths and 3 cases of cancer metastases for every 1,000 men screened. — Mark Lieber, CNN, "Prostate cancer screening recommendations get rolled back by US task force," 8 May 2018 Consequently, more than half of those men with an elevated prostate-specific antigen do not actually have cancer, according to Hoffman. — Mark Lieber, CNN, "Prostate cancer screening recommendations get rolled back by US task force," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prostate-specific antigen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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prostate-specific antigen

prostaticovesical

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Last Updated

22 Sep 2019

Time Traveler for prostate-specific antigen

The first known use of prostate-specific antigen was in 1979

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