Prostate-specific antigen

Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA)

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood.

Pronunciation

Prostate-specific antigen is pronounced as pro-state spe-cif-ic an-ti-gen.

Etymology

The term "Prostate-specific antigen" is derived from the Latin word "prostates" which means "one standing in front", "specific" from the Latin word "specificus" meaning "constituting a species or kind", and "antigen" from the Greek words "anti-" meaning "against" and "-gen" meaning "that which produces".

Function

The main function of PSA is to liquefy the semen in males, allowing the sperm cells to swim freely. It is also used as a tumor marker to detect and manage prostate cancer in men.

Related Terms

• Prostate gland
• Prostate cancer
• Tumor marker
• Semen
• Sperm cells

See Also

• PSA test
• Prostate biopsy
• Prostatectomy

References

• National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet
• Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). PSA test. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psa-test/about/pac-20384731

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Prostate-specific antigen
• Wikipedia's article - Prostate-specific antigen

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