What is PSA?

What is PSA?

• A. A hormone produced by the pituitary gland.
• B. A growth factor involved in angiogenesis.
• C. Prostate-specific antigen, a glycoprotein that can help detect prostate cancer.
• D. A gene associated with breast cancer risk.

Answer: (C)

PSA stands for Prostate-specific antigen, a glycoprotein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. It circulates in the blood and is measured to help detect and monitor prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels can suggest cancer, but they can also be due to non-cancer conditions like prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia, so the test is interpreted with clinical context and sometimes additional measures (for example, the ratio of free to total PSA). This is different from a pituitary hormone, a growth factor related to angiogenesis, or a cancer-risk gene for breast cancer.

PSA stands for Prostate-specific antigen, a glycoprotein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. It circulates in the blood and is measured to help detect and monitor prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels can suggest cancer, but they can also be due to non-cancer conditions like prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia, so the test is interpreted with clinical context and sometimes additional measures (for example, the ratio of free to total PSA). This is different from a pituitary hormone, a growth factor related to angiogenesis, or a cancer-risk gene for breast cancer.