• Question: hey Can a blood test detect cancer?

    Asked by cupcake94 to Amar, Ana, Andrea, Leah, Matt on 14 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Matthew Lam

      Matthew Lam answered on 14 Mar 2014:

      There are some cancers which can be detected with a blood test.

      It was recently discovered that breast cancer patients carry DNA from their cancer cells around in the blood stream. Scientists are currently trying to work out how we can detect this DNA in people’s blood because it often appears very early on in the disease. The early breast cancer is detected the easier it is to treat and the more chance the person has at beating it.

    • Photo: Andrea Hanvey

      Andrea Hanvey answered on 14 Mar 2014:

      Some cancers yes!

      In pathology blood tests are sent to the blood science labs and tested on analysers. Men can be tested for prostate specific antigen (PSA) if these is raised it can an indication of prostate cancer so further tests including biopsies are usually organised. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) can be tested for in a blood test, if this is raised its an indication of colon cancer, so a patient may then be referred for a colonoscopy. Abnormal liver function tests, thyroid tests can also be an indicator for cancer in both the liver and thyroid but other cancers too. Haematologists will perform a test called a full blood count (FBC) depending on how many red and white cells are present can also indicate a cancers. They also do a blood film. when they put a smear of blood on a slide and look at the cells down the microscope. these are used to confirm leukeamia diagnoses.

    • Photo: Anastasia Wass

      Anastasia Wass answered on 14 Mar 2014:

      Some cancers can be detected by blood tests. The blood is usually tested for chemicals produced by the cancer cells but scientists are now looking for easy ways to detect cancer DNA which has got into the bloodstream.

    • Photo: Leah Fitzsimmons

      Leah Fitzsimmons answered on 17 Mar 2014:

      Like the others have said, some cancer cells release chemicals that are not released by other cells, and these can be detected in the blood. Sometimes the DNA from cancer cells can also be found in the blood. Although we are starting to find ways to detect if someone might have cancer using blood tests a cancer diagnosis cannot be made from the result of a blood test alone and doctors have to do other tests to be sure.

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