Blood Drug Testing

What blood tests help to find if someone has cancer?

Public Comments

1. so many types of cancer. soo many lab tests! ...need more specifics here. Some cancers (Leukemia) show up really well in an initial blood test...like a CBC, although more tests are needed for a DX. One test won't confirm anything. Most tumors are diagnosed other ways...like a surgical pathology sample (bx...excision, etc.) although they may be seen on a CAT scan/MRI/X-ray/scope. Ur qxn is just too vague!
2. Complete blood count (CBC). This common blood test measures the amount of various types of blood cells in a sample of your blood. Blood cancers may be detected using this test if too many or too few of a type of blood cell or abnormal cells are found. A bone marrow biopsy may help confirm a diagnosis of a blood cancer. Urine cytology. Examining a urine sample under a microscope may reveal cancer cells that could come from the bladder, ureters or kidneys. Blood protein testing. A test to examine various proteins in your blood (electrophoresis) can aid in detecting certain abnormal immune system proteins (immunoglobulins) that are sometimes elevated in people with multiple myeloma. Other tests, such as a bone marrow biopsy, are used to confirm a suspected diagnosis. Tumor marker tests. Tumor markers are chemicals made by tumor cells that can be detected in your blood. But tumor makers are also produced by some normal cells in your body and levels may be significantly elevated in noncancerous conditions. This limits the potential for tumor marker tests to help in diagnosing cancer.
3. That depends on the type of cancer you are looking for. There are several blood tests that will help detect cancer. There is a prostate cancer test, there are tumor marker tests, peripheral blood smears can diagnose cancers like leukemia and there are some other types of tests that can be done other than blood tests. Most cancers are diagnosed through the pathology department by looking at tissue aspirations and cell block preparations. New technology like MRI'S and PET scans are getting very good at detecting cancers. We have come a long way with this affliction and there is more work to be done. If you think you have cancer, then early detection is the key to a cure, so get tested today!
4. I agree with "jake696" There are over 200 diseases - all very different - included under the layman's term "cancer." There are blood tests that help us with some of them. There is no complete battery of lab tests that rules out all types of malignancies. This is like asking what blood tests help to find out if someone has an infection. Viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoal - there are blood test for each different disease. Strange how many people think "cancer" is one disease.
5. biopsy
6. hi dear cancer is nt detected by blood test only.ter r other test wic u need 2 do.....if u r a female do regular check up of ur breast lik if u feel ny lump or nything,n if u feel breathless n fatigue pl do chest x ray.for u to suspect cancer check for ny abnormal growth or change in t wart or mole in ur body........ter r different test for cancer lik fnac,mammography,biopsy etc...do mail wit ur doubts at deeps.love@yahoo.co.in tk cr by n njoy