Biochemical recurrence is a rise in the blood level of

prostate-specific antigen Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), also known as gamma-seminoprotein or kallikrein-3 (KLK3), P-30 antigen, is a glycoprotein enzyme encoded in humans by the ''KLK3'' gene. PSA is a member of the kallikrein-related peptidase family and is secreted ...

(PSA) in

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that su ...

patients after treatment with surgery or

radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'', such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, vi ...

. Biochemical

recurrence Recurrence and recurrent may refer to: *''Disease recurrence'', also called relapse *''Eternal recurrence'', or eternal return, the concept that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a self-similar form an infinite number ...

may occur in patients who do not have

symptoms Signs and symptoms are the observed or detectable signs, and experienced symptoms of an illness, injury, or condition. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature than normal, raised or lowered blood pressure or an abnormality showi ...

. It may mean that the

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

has come back. Also called PSA failure and biochemical relapse. It is used to detect metastatic progression of the prostate cancer.Defining Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy: A Proposal for a Standardized Definition. 2005
/ref>

References

External links

Biochemical recurrence
entry in the public domain NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms Oncology {{oncology-stub

References

Further reading

External links