Nadir (medicine)

In medicine, nadir (from Arabic base point ) is generally understood to mean the lowest value of (measured) values ​​in medicine, for example viral load, blood pressure in mmHg or the PSA value after local treatment for prostate cancer (e.g. Surgery or radiation).

Especially in the treatment of tumors ( chemotherapy ), nadir describes the maximum reduction in leukocytes ( leukocyte nadir ) or neutrophils ( ANC nadir ). This reduction in the number of cells is also referred to as leukopenia or neutropenia and in most cases is dose-limiting for the therapy or responsible for the shortened duration of therapy that results from it.