prostate specific antigen
1
5.1
- noun
- /ˈprɒsteɪt spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈæn.tɪ.dʒən/
- Specialized
:
antígeno prostático específico
- The level of prostate specific antigen in the blood can indicate the presence of prostate issues.
- prostate specific antigen test
Examples
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A blood test for prostate specific antigen can help detect prostate cancer in its early stages.
-
Prostate cancer death rates have dropped 20% in the past 20 years, and this is thought to be due to the use of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test; however, the decision whether or not to have the test is not a straightforward one.
Academic text (2012) -
Gay men were less likely to be overweight or obese and to obtain prostate-specific antigen tests, and lesbians were more likely to be obese and to report multiple risks for cardiovascular disease.
Academic text (2010) -
The GP will take a history to assess symptoms and risk and may carry out a digital rectal examination (DRE) or a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
Academic text (2010) -
In a study of African American (n = 286) and white (n = 1,218) men, Demark-Wahnefried and colleagues (1995) found that African American men were significantly less likely to have had a digital rectal examination or a prostate-specific antigen test.
Academic text (2003) -
Doctors often use the prostate specific antigen test to monitor patients for prostate disorders.
Synonyms
12
5.1
A protein from the prostate gland that doctors measure in blood to check for cancer or other prostate problems
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase denotes an 'antigen' that is 'specific' to the 'prostate' — a straightforward modifier+noun composition whose meaning is directly derivable from the constituents. Although medical, the modifier + noun logic is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows 'prostate', 'specific', and 'antigen' would likely infer it refers to a substance produced by or specific to the prostate.
Etymology
Prostate specific antigen literally names a protein made by the prostate, a small male gland. The word specific shows it comes mainly from that gland and antigen means a protein tests can find, so doctors measure it in the blood as a 'sign' of prostate problems like cancer.