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Blood Tests used to Diagnose Cancer? Does this Happen?

Other than the PSA test which I am familiar with, does anyone know if there is any particular Blood Tests that can be run to give an indication the Cancer is present if any of a number of Organs or Body Systems or other tissue?

Please advise!

Thanks!

Only a biopsy can definitively provide a cancer diagnosis.

Some blood tests can be used as indicators. These are done by looking for levels of antigens specific to the cancer.

CEA – carcinoembryonic antigen for colon and other cancers
PSA – prostate specific antigen for prostate cancer

Abnormal blood counts can be an indicator for leukemia or other cancer.

Abnormal levels of certain chemicals can be used as an indicator for further investigation too.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 4:43 pm and is filed under PSA Blood Test Prostate Cancer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Blood Tests used to Diagnose Cancer? Does this Happen?”

  1. Dr Steve Says:
    September 16th, 2009 at 10:21 pm

    There are a number of tumour markers which can be picked up in the blood.

    The most commonly used are CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) which may be raised with colon cancer and CA-125 which is associated with ovarian cancer.
    References :

  2. oncogenomics Says:
    September 16th, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    Only a biopsy can definitively provide a cancer diagnosis.

    Some blood tests can be used as indicators. These are done by looking for levels of antigens specific to the cancer.

    CEA – carcinoembryonic antigen for colon and other cancers
    PSA – prostate specific antigen for prostate cancer

    Abnormal blood counts can be an indicator for leukemia or other cancer.

    Abnormal levels of certain chemicals can be used as an indicator for further investigation too.
    References :

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