Blood Drug Testing

Cancer of mouth and throat - blood tests?

During blood screening, are there any levels which would show up as abnormal if a person had mouth or throat cancer? Tests taken thus far have been normal: Full BLood Count, Platelets, Serum Bilirubin, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Blood Glucose, Thyroid (TFT), Blood cultures. Would any of these have abnormal levels if there was cancer of mouth or throat? The reason I asked was because of changes in my mouth, I have not had a sore throat but it has been red. I am quite young, though I smoke, and though I was not a heavy smoker, I have had anxiety and depression and began chain smoking when I felt bad. There is redness in my throat, I have a swollen tonsil, prominent thread veins in my mouth and I get sores and ulcers after eating. All my blood work has been fine, I have seen a dentist who didn't see anything that worries him. So pushing them for more tests could be hard.

Public Comments

1. My mom has liver and bone cancer. They did blood work in Nov 2006 and nothing came up in the blood work. Then in Dec 2006 (one month later) she got a kidney infection and she took her antibiotics and the pain in her mid and lower back continue since she had breast cancer last year in Jan 2006. She immediately went to the oncologist and they diagnosed her with liver and bone cancer. Sometimes when you take blood work it doesnt show. Her dr. says that there is a 40% of the population that when they do blood work if they have cancer it will not show up on the blood work. Unfortunetly my mom falls under that category which is very scary because if in the near future it comes back we wont know. I have a friend who her dad had throat cancer and one of the symptoms was sore throat. I am assuming they will have to do a biopsy. Don't get to comfortable with the blood work if nothing comes up. Have them do a biopsy just for some peace. Good luck and hope everything comes out fine. Tell them that your not comfortable with the test that youve done and would like have more done just so that you can be calm about it. If not go to another dr for a second opinion. The friend I told you that her father had cancer in this throat had some similar symptoms this time around again. He also had swollen tonsils and his throat was red tomorrow they give him the results from the biopsy. Thats why I dont understand why thet dont do a biopsy obviously something isnt right. But dont get all shaked up it could be an infection or your tonsil that need to be removed. Please insist that they perform more test on you. My mom wishes that she wouldnt have took 3 weeks to actually see the onocologist. I mean its a short time but when its something serious as cancer its actually a long time. I wish you lots of luck and I am sure everything will come out fine. Have u quit smoking?
2. Well, there is no blood test for mouth cancer. You could have it and normal blood tests. If your dentist doesn't see anything to worry him in your mouth, probably is nothing. But I recommend you to go see a doctor specialized in ear, nose, throat and he will tell you if you need further tests, maybe even a biopsy. Good luck!