Cancer blood tests are several tools that healthcare providers use to diagnose and stage malignancies or cancer growth. The cancer tests provide valuable information about your overall health, potential disease, and organ function. However, you will need some additional tests to get a complete understanding of your diagnosis.

Having cancer tests doesn't necessarily mean that you have cancer. Many of the cancer tests are mainly used to diagnose a range of health conditions. If you don't have blood cancer, these tests will help you find out which specific type of blood cancer you have. The different types of blood cancers are lymphoma, leukemia, MPN, MDS, and myeloma.

You can continue tests before, during, and after your treatment to check your condition. You don't need to worry about the tests. To get detailed information, you can contact MyDiagnostics and book your slot according to your availability.

In combination with other tests, cancer blood tests give your provider important information about various things, including;

• Blood cell levels that are too high or low because of cancer.
• Chemicals and proteins in the blood that may indicate cancer.
• Effectiveness of treatments.

• Stage of cancer.
• The recurrence chances of cancer.

Complete Blood Count or CBC, is a common blood test that helps measure the amount and condition of various types of blood cells in a blood sample, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

This test is used for several other purposes. This test also helps to diagnose some blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma. This test detects abnormal cells in the blood or abnormal amounts of typical cells.

A CBC test is also helpful to determine whether the cancer has spread to the bone marrow and monitor the progress of the cancer treatment.

Your healthcare provider gives you instructions on how to prepare for the cancer blood tests. However, these guidelines differ according to the particular type of test that you need.

In some cases, you may have to fast for 8 to 12 hours before the test. It means that you can't eat or drink anything except water. You also may need to avoid certain medications before the test.

Collecting the sample of your blood usually takes only a few minutes. The required procedures are the following:

• The healthcare provider will wrap a tight band around your upper arm.
• Cleaning of the area of your skin, particularly inside of your elbow area.
• The provider will insert a needle into the vein that will cause a slight pinching feeling.

• Remove the tourniquet.

• He/she will attach a tube to the needle and fill the tube with blood.
• The healthcare provider will remove the band and the needle.
• Finally, he/she will put pressure on the puncture wound to stop any bleeding and place a bandage on your skin.

If you find a lump in your breast or have one appear on a mammogram, it doesn't mean that you have cancer. This condition surely requires further evaluation. Some other conditions that can cause lumps in the breast include cysts, certain noncancerous disorders, or benign tumors.

The common sign of breast cancer is a lump or thickening in one breast that you can feel. These tumors are usually painless. Most cancerous lumps are firm, with irregular borders, and develop in the upper part of the breast near the armpit. In the early stage, there may not be other signs or symptoms.

Even an experienced healthcare provider can't always confirm if a lump is benign or malignant. All changes and lumps to the breast must be examined and evaluated with a full medical history, physical exam, and imaging tests. For advanced study, a biopsy can be required. Diagnosing breast cancer is a step-by-step procedure that takes several days.

If your healthcare provider is worried about a cancer possibility, you may need to undergo a few tests to diagnose cancer. Samples taken for cancer blood tests are tested in a laboratory to determine the signs of cancer. When the experts see the blood cells under a microscope, the samples may show the actual cancer cells. Some of the important blood tests to diagnose cancer are;

Tumor marker blood test

This test diagnoses certain chemicals released into your bloodstream every day. High levels of these chemicals in the blood are signs of cancer. CA-125 blood test is a common tumor marker test that helps doctors plan treatment and check for the recurrence of certain cancers. PSA, or prostate-specific antigen test, is a tumor marker test, that helps to check for high levels of PSA in the blood. This particular blood test helps to detect prostate cancer.

Complete blood count, or CBC

This is a common blood test to detect some blood or immune system cancers like lymphoma and leukemia. However, this test can't detect solid organ cancers like breast, lung, or colon cancers. This particular blood test tells your healthcare provider how your body responds to treatment and whether the cancer has spread to the bone marrow.

Blood protein test

This test detects abnormal protein levels in your blood. High protein levels point to certain types of cancer such as lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemia. Some tests, like CMP or a comprehensive metabolic panel, include a total protein test that also provides this information.

Circulating tumor cell test

This is a liquid biopsy test that checks your blood for cancer. This test detects tiny pieces of tumors that break off and circulate in your blood. Doctors suggest this cancer blood test to predict outcomes in people with metastatic breast, colon, or prostate cancers. A low level of CTC or undetectable CTC in your blood indicates a favorable outcome. Excessive CTCs in your blood are a sign of an unfavorable outcome that indicates a need for additional treatment.

Here, we have shared the required information about different cancer blood tests. If your blood test indicates that there is a possibility of cancer, your healthcare provider will refer you to an oncologist.

The oncologist will run some additional tests to confirm the diagnosis and recommend a proper treatment. Cancer treatment always requires a multidisciplinary team of providers. An oncologist will work with several different specialists to get the best treatment for you.

Yes, some blood tests can detect cancer. Some specified blood tests are designed to identify tumor markers, which are chemicals and proteins found in the blood.

Some of the non-curable cancers are;

• Chronic myeloid leukemia
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• Pleural mesothelioma
• Secondary breast cancer
• Secondary brain tumors
• Secondary liver cancer
• Secondary bone cancer

Yes, blood cancer can be curable. But in some cases, when the cure is not possible, it can be treated at least by professional health experts.

Stage 1 blood cancer appears by the increased white blood cell count and enlarged lymph nodes. It occurs due to a sudden increase in the number of lymphocytes. At this stage, the disease is at low risk as the cancer is localized to the lymph nodes.

* * Medical Disclaimer - The following information is for educational purposes only. No information provided on this website, including text, graphic, and images, are intended as substitutes for professional medical advice. Please consult with your doctor about specific medical advice pertaining to your condition(s).