As a method of diagnosing various diseases, a blood test is often used. In cancer, this study is also effective. The analysis makes it possible to find out the number of leukocytes and erythrocytes in the blood, their sedimentation rate, leukocyte formula, hemoglobin level. All these indicators help to detect diseases at an early stage.
tumor markers
These are special proteins secreted by cancer cells. The tumor produces substances that differ in their properties from normal substances. human body. According to them, it is possible to suspect the disease. The answer to the question of whether a blood test shows cancer will be in the affirmative. At present, markers of many varieties have already been described. These include cancer of the breast, lung, pancreas, intestines, stomach, thyroid, and others. However, such studies are not carried out very often. Why? Now we'll tell you.
Cancer blood test
The study of tumor markers is characterized by high cost, but at the same time, the inaccuracy of the results. So, the analysis can show the presence of a tumor (which is actually not there) in the case of an inflammatory disease. For example, an ovarian cancer marker reacts intensely to hepatitis, heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and other pathologies that lead to accumulation in abdominal cavity liquids. In the presence of diseases such as pancreatitis, stomach ulcers, tumor markers are increased, designed to diagnose cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.
However, there are situations when it is possible to determine cancer by a blood test with a 100% guarantee. For example, in the case when the indicator of a specific prostate antigen has a level of more than 30, it is possible to speak with accuracy about the presence of prostate cancer. If the value of the marker is increased, but not so much, it is impossible to categorically state that a person has oncology. Such indicators may be evidence of adenoma or prostatitis. Additional testing should be carried out to confirm the assumptions.
In today's realities, tumor markers are largely used not to determine the primary tumor, but to detect recurrences of cancer that has already been treated. Often, such a study allows you to find out about the danger of re-development of the tumor even before it actually appears and, due to this, take the necessary measures in advance. Every year the number of tumor markers increases, which is certainly good news.
Blood sampling
The procedure should be carried out on an empty stomach (not earlier than eight hours after the last meal) in the morning. Blood sampling is carried out from a vein in a sitting or lying position. Patients who have completed a full course of cancer treatment should have a blood test every 3-4 months. In cancer, not only diagnostics for tumor markers is effective, other types of research should be carried out. Let's talk about them in more detail.
Will a general blood test show cancer?
It is extremely difficult to give a definite answer. It all depends on the location of the tumor, the nature of the disease, as well as individual characteristics organism. And yet for some distinctive characteristics peripheral blood, an attentive doctor may suspect a malignant formation.
What should you pay attention to? First of all, on the quantitative content and quality of leukocytes. A blood test for cancer usually shows a significant increase in leukocytes, especially due to young forms. For example, with leukemia, leukocytosis can have off-scale indicators. Also, an experienced specialist in the case of leukemia, when examining a smear under a microscope, will certainly notice myeloblasts or lymphoblasts.
With cancer, a blood test almost always shows an increase and decrease in hemoglobin. If the patient has no history of blood loss, while he leads a normal life and eats well, such research results should alert the doctor. Hemoglobin decreases most intensively in the presence of malignant tumors in the stomach or intestines. In some forms of leukemia, among other things, there will be a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, a deterioration in coagulability.
It is worth noting that it is impossible to diagnose cancer solely by. There are diseases that, when examined, are very similar to oncology, but the tumor is absent in the body.
Biochemical research
Not only common, but can also indicate cancer. So, in the case of a pancreatic tumor, the level changes; in the case of cancer of the biliary tract, bilirubin rises due to blockage of the bile ducts, a malignant formation in the liver makes itself felt by an increase in the activity of aminotransferases, and so on.
Oncological diseases are very diverse and numerous, their diagnosis is not always simple. Often, it is impossible to determine the disease by one analysis, the procedures must be carried out in combination. Make an appointment with an oncologist if you suspect you have a specialist. The specialist will tell you what tests and in what order you should go through in order to establish an accurate diagnosis.
Most complex pathological health disorders at the initial stage are asymptomatic with minimal characteristic signs. Such diseases include cancerous neoplasms, which are detected in the early stages of progression only by qualified specialists.
Will a blood test show cancer? At the initial stage of the examination, doctors prescribe to the patient general analysis blood in oncology. According to its indicators, it is possible to determine the beginning pathological cellular changes. The composition of the blood begins to change long before the appearance of external signs of the disease.
The clinical picture of the blood fixes any failure in the body at all stages of progression, even at the initial stages. How to recognize cancer? A clinical blood test will help determine if a patient has cancer. How to define a disease?
Specialists prescribe a general blood test if the patient is diagnosed with the following symptoms of an unexplained genesis:
- prolonged relapses of chronic diseases;
- persistent inflammatory pathologies;
- a sharp immune failure that cannot be corrected;
- causeless increase in body temperature;
- sudden weight loss;
- inadequate reaction to pungent odors, taste sensations;
- loss of appetite to complete rejection of food;
- pain spasms of unknown etiology;
- asthenic syndrome.
Analytical indicators of the blood picture can show a shift in the formula, an increase or decrease in the number of its certain components, indicate a possible cancerous pathology.
Factors provocateurs of pathology
About why an oncological tumor arises and progresses in the body, scientists have been arguing for many years. This disease is serious and often terminal, affecting both the elderly and middle-aged patients, young and even children.
Cancer provocateurs are often:
- violation metabolic processes against the background of unbalanced and malnutrition;
- overweight, since obesity can act as a provocateur of the oncological process;
- tobacco smoking or passive inhalation of tobacco smoke;
- genetic and constitutional predisposition to pathological cell growth;
- ultraviolet irradiation, abuse of sunbathing.
Of no small importance is the unfavorable environmental situation, stress factors, unfavourable conditions life.
Indicators of pathology
Doctors practice the appointment of a general blood test for any protracted inflammatory process in patients. It is also prescribed if cancer is suspected in order to timely identify oncology or exclude it.
What will the study show? A general blood test for cancer reveals a number of changes characteristic of such a disease. First of all, this pathology significantly changes the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which is characteristic not only of cancer, but of any inflammatory processes.
| Cellular indicators | Functions | Changes in oncology |
|---|---|---|
| platelets | Coagulation regulation | The presence of immature cells; Quantitative changes in indicators |
| red blood cells | transport of oxygen to tissues | Deviation from the norm in the direction of decreasing |
| Leukocytes | Protection against infectious and viral agents | The presence of granular cells; Reducing or increasing the quantitative composition |
| Hemoglobin | Participation in the process of gas exchange | Decrease in quantitative indicators |
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as a rule, creeps up sharply. Against the background of diagnosed anemia, these indicators give the specialist the opportunity to suspect the presence of a malignant formation, however, an additional comprehensive examination is required to make a final diagnosis.
General rules for preparing for blood sampling
A number of external and internal factors influence the indicators of the clinical picture of blood, therefore, only with proper preparation By the time of testing, one can hope that a blood test will show undistorted and real results.
- A couple of weeks before blood sampling for analysis, it is advisable to abandon the systematic use of drugs, since their formula can significantly distort the picture of the study results.
- A couple of days before the test, it is undesirable to drink alcohol, fatty or fried foods.
- Approximately one hour before the procedure, it is advisable not to smoke, since under the influence of nicotine the blood picture changes significantly.
- 30 minutes before the test, it is not recommended to expose yourself to physical and mental stress.
- A few days before the test, it is undesirable to undergo instrumental studies using devices, any medical equipment.
Since a general blood test is taken, as a rule, in the morning, therefore, the last meal should be no earlier than 8 hours before the blood sampling procedure. Experts do not indicate restrictions on fluid intake, so you can drink fluid in any amount, regardless of the upcoming procedure.
Except general rules preparation for taking a blood test for oncology, specialists give their patients additional recommendations:
- In the morning before sampling, it is not recommended to drink tea, coffee, cocoa. These drinks can significantly affect the clinical picture of the blood, while when diagnosing the presence of a cancerous tumor, the results should be as correct as possible.
- The procedure is forbidden to be carried out by people who feel unwell immediately before the blood sampling. In this case, it is worth informing the doctor about your condition, it is quite possible that the specialist will postpone diagnostic procedure to avoid false results.
The emotional disposition of the patient can also affect the correct clinical indicators, therefore it is also not recommended to donate blood for analysis in a state of severe stress.
Rules for the procedure
A general blood test is taken from a finger, the procedure itself is practically painless and does not take much time.
- The patient's hands should not be cold, fingers should be well warmed before the blood sampling procedure.
- The finger is pre-treated with alcohol or another antiseptic in order to disinfect the skin before damaging its integrity.
- The laboratory assistant pierces the finger with a sterile scarifier, which has recently been used mainly disposable.
- Taking the required amount of material, the laboratory assistant re-treats the finger with an antiseptic.
Deciphering indicators
What does the result show? Taking a blood test for oncology will help determine the presence of a serious disease several months earlier than it declares itself with complex symptoms. Given that cancer progresses quite quickly, it is important to identify oncology as early as possible.
Cancer tumors affect the cellular structure of organs, destroying them, and therefore blood counts can be considered specific for such a disease.
Hemoglobin indicators
Cells that perform an important transport function in the body, transferring oxygen to tissues, are among the first to respond to pathological changes tissues at the cellular level. Does hemoglobin level indicate disease?
- With progressive cancerous processes, a blood test will show sharp changes in hemoglobin parameters in the direction of decrease. If an inflammatory or catarrhal pathology occurs in the body, then the indicators vary slightly, but in the case of oncological changes, hemoglobin drops by almost half.
- In the event that a drop in hemoglobin values is accompanied by an increase in leukocyte norms, the specialist suggests serious changes in tissue cells - oncological processes. Since leukocytes are responsible for the body's immune response and help fight viruses and infections, their increase, together with a drop in hemoglobin, is considered the basis for a comprehensive in-depth examination of the body, as it indicates cell destruction.
In addition to indicators of hemoglobin and the level of leukocytes, other indicators also indicate changes in the body.
Erythrocyte indicators
The rate of erythrocyte sedimentation in the blood serum is considered an important determining indicator of many pathological conditions in the body. It is this aspect that doctors pay attention to when they suspect serious inflammatory processes, complex pathologies.
Many oncological diseases develop almost asymptomatically, which makes it difficult to diagnose them in the early stages. A blood test for oncology is a chance to detect abnormal cell development. Similar laboratory studies are used to determine the disease in the initial stages.
Indications for diagnosis
With the development of tumor cells, an increased amount of useful substances is required, which are taken by cancer cells and poisoned by their metabolic products. This process causes certain changes in the patient's well-being - general weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight. If strong unrelenting pains of a certain organ begin to bother you, which are not stopped by painkillers, inflammation develops, chronic diseases worsen, the temperature rises for no reason - this should serve as a basis to take tests, check and find out if there are cancerous foci in the body.
A mandatory indication for passing on a general analysis is an annual preventive health check. For blood donation for biochemical analysis and for tests on the level of proteins that are synthesized by tumor cells, the indication is a predisposition to cancer at the genetic level, and if you have crossed the 40-year age threshold.
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What blood tests show cancer
Suspicion of cancer may arise from the results of general and specific studies. The ongoing pathological processes in the form of changes in the composition of the blood and its properties can be seen in:
- General analysis;
- Biochemical analysis;
- Analysis for tumor markers.
Remember! But none of these tests gives a 100% guarantee of absence or presence, even the most informative of them - a tumor marker. All these indicators need to be confirmed.
CBC - complete blood count
With tumor processes in the blood, the qualitative composition and level of leukocytes (white blood cells) changes. There is an increase in the level of leukocytes due to young forms. What indicators indicate pre-cancer?
Most of all, leukocytes increase (protein increases) with cancer of the hematopoietic system. Precursors of lymphocytes and neutrophils - lymphoblasts and myeloblasts - can be found in the blood. The leukocyte formula reveals the ratio of different types of leukocytes in the blood, which is used in deciphering the analysis.
Also, in most cases, the blood is determined high level ESR - . This indicator indirectly characterizes the content of proteins in the blood plasma. Neither antibacterial nor anti-inflammatory drugs lead to a decrease in this indicator.
A decrease in hemoglobin in the blood may indicate the presence of a tumor process in the blood. This protein is responsible for delivering oxygen to internal organs from the lungs and back - carbon dioxide. If the patient does not have blood loss in the absence of operations, injuries, menstruation, and an increase in hemoglobin is impossible, even with the normalization of nutrition, this should alert. Often a rapid decrease in hemoglobin occurs in the presence of oncology of the intestine and stomach.
With certain types of leukemia, and in addition to a decrease in ESR, there may be low level platelet count and increased blood clotting. In oncological diseases of the large intestine, the analysis may show anemia due to occult bleeding. With tumor metastases, hemoglobin decreases due to repeated damage to the bone marrow.
Biochemical analysis
The purpose of a biochemical blood test is to obtain information about the functioning of organs, the presence of vitamins and trace elements in the right amount. This study helps to draw conclusions about the presence of cancerous tumors in the body, the deviation of certain values from the norm indicates this.
Oncology can be suspected if the following parameters are not normal:
- Albumin and total protein. With the development of cancer, the produced protein is actively consumed by cancer cells, and this significantly reduces its total amount in the blood. If cancer affects the liver, then the protein deficiency is noticeable even with good nutrition;
- Bilirubin, ALT (alanine aminotransferase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) may increase with liver damage. Blockage of the bile ducts in tumors of the biliary tract increases the level of bilirubin;
- Glucose. With reproductive cancers (mainly of the female system), lungs, liver, symptoms of diabetes appear (sugar levels rise). There is also a change in the level of glucose in pancreatic cancer, the pancreatic hormone insulin is responsible for the production of glucose;
- Alkaline phosphatase. These values increase with metastases and tumors in the bones. Also, an increase in the rate can occur with cancer of the liver or gallbladder;
- Urea. An increased indicator indicates the pathology of the organ or there is a breakdown of the protein in the body, which is typical for tumor intoxication;
- Uric acid;
- Gamma globulin;
- SRP. If the indicator is elevated, then cancer of the lungs, stomach, ovaries is possible;
- Creatinine It speaks of a violation of the activity of the kidneys, but is not a highly informative indicator.
Remember! If cancer is suspected, the results of a biochemical analysis cannot be used as a confirmation of the diagnosis. Even if there are coincidences on all points, additional studies should be submitted.
The interpretation of the data should be carried out by a competent doctor who can correctly recognize the values from detailed analyzes and draw conclusions.
Basic analysis
General and biochemical analyzes create only a general picture of the presence of abnormal processes occurring in the blood, and the result of an analysis for cancer cells (called tumor markers) allows you to determine the localization of a malignant tumor. Oncoanalysis reveals specific compounds that are produced by the tumor itself or by the body in its presence.
Although there are about 200 tumor markers, about 20 are predominantly used. Some of these tumor markers are specific, detecting the presence of any type of cancer, others are detected various types cancer (alpha-fetoprotein is found in almost 70% of cancer patients). Therefore, to diagnose the type of tumor, combinations of common and specific tumor markers are examined:
- Protein - skin cancer;
- NSE, protein S-100 - brain cancer;
- SCC, CEA, NSE, CYFRA 21-1 - cancer of the lungs, throat, tongue;
- CEA, CA 242 - cancer of the stomach and pancreas;
- CEA, SA-72-4 — bowel cancer;
- CA 19-9, AFP, CA-125 - liver cancer;
- PSA - prostate cancer (prostate gland);
- AFP, hCG -;
- CEA, CA-72-4, A-15-3 - breast cancer;
- Alpha-fetoprotein, SCC - cervical cancer;
- AFP, HCG, SA-125 -.
But even with such oncoanalysis, the information is preliminary. The presence of antigens can be provoked inflammatory processes and other diseases, and some tumor markers are also detected in non-cancer patients (CEA is always higher than normal in smokers). Because of this, the diagnosis must be confirmed by instrumental studies.
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Is it possible to reliably determine oncology by a blood test?
The results of the studies of these analyzes can only indicate the development of the disease, a more detailed study is required for an accurate diagnosis. It is impossible to diagnose the presence of cancer only by blood tests. It should also be taken into account that, depending on age and gender, indicators may change, there are also physiological reasons for increasing or decreasing data. Signs of cancer on a blood test are indirect and need to be confirmed.
Preparation for delivery
For the reliability of the results of a blood test, it is necessary to properly prepare for the delivery of the material. Blood donation is required on an empty stomach - the last meal and drinking water should be half a day before blood donation. It is advisable to donate blood itself before 11 o'clock in the afternoon. A few days before blood donation, it is necessary to limit the consumption of fatty, fried and spicy foods, to exclude alcohol, drugs. A few days before the test, you should not overwork physically and mentally. Stop smoking 3-4 hours before the test.
If you are testing for a prostate tumor marker, then refuse sexual intercourse a week before sampling. For a more reliable analysis, it is worth first curing all existing infections, as they can blur the picture of the disease.
Blood for testing for antigens is taken from a vein, the answer is usually ready in a few days.
Remember! A blood test cannot give a 100% guarantee of reliability in making a diagnosis of cancer. Do not jump to conclusions and do not make a diagnosis yourself.
Cancer rates in women
reproductive female system is at high risk of cancer, especially the mammary glands, and the epithelium of the cervix is also prone to malignant degeneration. You should carefully consider the examinations and pay attention to the following results of clinical studies:
- An increase in glucose (becomes a harbinger of cancer of the uterus and mammary glands);
- The simultaneous presence of alpha-fetoprotein and SCC indicates the risk of cervical cancer, the CA 125 glycoprotein indicates the threat of endometrial cancer. HCG, CA 125 and AFP - ovarian cancer is possible, a combination of oncomarkers CA 72-4, CA 15-3 and CEA - the tumor may be in the mammary glands.
Preventive measures - breast self-examination, visiting a gynecologist help diagnose cancer in the initial stages, do not neglect this.
Is a good analysis possible in oncology?
If positive results tumor markers are not a 100% confirmation of the presence of cancer, can the opposite happen - the tests do not show the development of oncological diseases, but it is present? Yes, and this is possible. Such results may be affected by the small size of the tumor or certain medicines taken by the patient. This means that when taking blood tests, it is important to warn the doctor about taking certain medications.
Even with good analyzes and the absence of data on oncology in instrumental diagnostics, but with complaints of pain, oncology may be present. It could be an extraorgan tumor. For example, the retroperitoneal variety of such a tumor is detected already at stage 4. The age of the patient also matters, since over the years the metabolism slows down and antigens enter the bloodstream with a delay.
Blood is a universal substance that comes into contact with all organs and tissues of the body. The slightest violation of any system leads to a change in its chemical composition. Therefore, at the beginning of the diagnostic process, general studies are always assigned. A blood test in oncology helps to determine which system is affected by the tumor. For further diagnostics and examinations, other methods are used (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, biopsy, etc.).
When analysis is needed
The initial stages of many serious diseases proceed secretly and practically do not cause any malfunctions in the functioning of vital systems. It is possible to detect deviations at this stage by a blood test, since specific substances appear in the composition of the blood. The cells of the body change and become cancerous, which causes a change in the chemical composition of the blood.
Which of the blood tests shows cancer? Reflection in the results of the analysis of tumor processes depends not so much on the type of medical test, but on those parameters that are to be studied. Therefore, before the analysis, the doctor performs an examination and questioning of the patient.
Based on the results of the clinical picture and complaints, parameters for a blood test are determined.
Testing is required if bloody issues in stool or urine. Sudden weight loss without apparent reason, hair loss, unnatural pallor, weakness and fatigue indicate serious health problems. Of particular danger are the deformation and the appearance of swelling on various parts of the body. Any symptoms, discomfort, pain and negative changes in the functioning of the body is a reason to visit a doctor.
General blood test
A blood test for oncology shows deviations from the norm in the main parameters. But the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes and other cells can change for other reasons, so a general analysis (CBC) or a clinical blood test cannot unequivocally confirm or refute cancer. The parameters are determined using a microscope glass and modern equipment that calculates the level of leukocytes, erythrocytes and other cells automatically.
ESR or erythrocyte sedimentation rate is the first indicator that is determined by the laboratory. This figure for healthy men should be below 15 mm/h, for women below 20 mm/h. ESR rises for various reasons (infections, inflammations, pregnancy, etc.). In 23% of cases, when the ESR is significantly increased (more than 30 mm / h), the patient is subsequently diagnosed with an oncological disease.
Decreased leukocytes indicate possible violations of the hematopoietic function. Possible tumor processes in the bone marrow, leukemia. The production of leukocytes is also difficult when the bone marrow is affected by metastases of other organs. A high white blood cell count can also mean the presence of a malignant neoplasm in the body that the immune system is fighting against. The leukocyte formula in cancerous tumors shifts to the left.
Also, when the body is affected by oncological diseases, hemoglobin and platelet count in the blood decrease. When analyzing red blood cells, the laboratory can detect a large number of granular, damaged and deformed cells. Based on the results of the general blood test, the doctor decides on the need for other methods of examination.
Biochemistry
The study of the chemical composition of the blood when cancer is detected can provide more information than a general analysis. Biochemistry indicators indicate the organ affected by the disease. A blood sample is placed on glass slides and examined under a microscope. Modern equipment allows the procedure to be carried out using a computer, which increases the reliability of the data obtained. An additional examination using ultrasound or MRI is required to confirm the diagnosis.
The tests include the following main parameters for analysis:
- ALT and AST blood counts, known to patients as "liver tests", reflect the functioning of the liver. Exceeding the allowable maximum indicates cell decay. This process is caused by neoplasms, cirrhosis, hepatitis and various inflammatory processes.
- With the development of oncological processes in the body, there is a decrease or a sharp jump in the total protein in the patient's blood.
- High levels of urea and creatinine are observed during the breakdown of protein substances, which is observed during the destruction of tissues by a tumor.
- A drop in cholesterol below normal indicates that a sufficient amount of this substance is not produced in the liver, due to damage to the organ by a cancerous process.
tumor markers
What substances are tumor markers? With the normal functioning of all body systems, the substances necessary for vital activity are produced in a certain amount. If any organ is affected by a cancerous tumor, the balance of substances is disturbed. Under the influence of cancer, the body produces new cells. Thus, in medicine, specific substances, oncological markers, are isolated, the concentration of which increases significantly with the active spread of tumor cells:
- Using CA72-4, you can determine the presence of a cancerous tumor of the mammary glands.
- The CA 15-3 protein is used when it is necessary to establish breast or ovarian cancer.
- The NSE will show if there are violations on the part nervous system patient.
- CYFRA 21-1 is used to detect oncological diseases of the bladder and lungs. This is a sensitive type of tumor marker that can detect cancer even at an early stage.
- An excess of the PSA marker in men will indicate problems with the prostate gland (benign or malignant tumor, adenoma, inflammation).
- Alpha-fetoprotein or AFP may indicate the development of cirrhosis or liver cancer.
- Carbohydrate antigens CA 19-9 reveal cancerous changes in the pancreas.
- The ferritin protein complex indicates possible tumor processes in the testicles.
- Carbohydrate substance CA 125 is used to assess the condition of the pancreas and testicles.
Chemiluminescence is often used to determine the presence of tumor markers in a patient's blood. During the study of a biological sample, special reagents are used that highlight some cells. As a result of chemiluminescent luminescence, the shape and size of cells are studied, and their quantitative calculation is also performed.
As an average frequency for donating blood for oncomarkers, 1 year is taken, that is, tests should be taken annually. If a person has a predisposition to any kind cancer, then the method and frequency of the examination is negotiated individually. In some cases, it may be shown that the study should be carried out more often. Even with minor changes in the concentration of tumor markers in the blood, additional examinations are prescribed.
The main types of diseases
Additional tests allow to determine oncology and confirm the diagnosis. If gastric cancer is suspected as a result of biochemistry, a contrast x-ray is prescribed for tumor markers, an ultrasound examination of all organs digestive system, FEGDS, and a biopsy is also done.
Patients predisposed to gastric cancer should undergo endoscopic examination every 3 years.
If seals are found in the chest, an examination, mammography, sonography, and in some cases an MRI is prescribed. A blood test for CEA, CA 15-3, CA 72-4 and hormone levels is required. To prevent breast cancer, you should visit your doctor annually if you have no symptoms. If a swelling or lump in the chest was found on its own, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Lung cancer is more common than other types of cancer. Doctors recommend yearly x-rays and CT scans every 3 years as a preventive measure. chest. Additionally, an immunological blood test for specific tumor markers can be prescribed.
Tests for oncology or other parameters are taken in medical laboratories or clinics that are in any city. You can donate a blood sample even at your home for an additional fee. Such services are provided by commercial institutions. Portable equipment is sufficient for medical personnel to take a biological sample, which will be analyzed in the laboratory. Test results can be obtained in person or at in electronic format through the Internet.
In contact with
Cancer is caused by a genetic change in new cells formed during division. Such cells are formed in the body almost daily, but the immune system immediately recognizes them and neutralizes them. If the body, due to weakened immunity, “missed” the formation of a cell with a disturbed genetic code, it begins to divide and similar atypical cells are formed.
There comes a time when the immune system recognizes foreign cells and begins to fight them, but the immune system is no longer able to neutralize the oncological process. During the growing confrontation between immunity and oncology, blood counts begin to change - the number of leukocytes increases. This phenomenon is also observed in inflammatory diseases, it is explained by the fact that it is leukocytes that are the cells that protect the body from everything foreign. In the fight against tumor processes, their number increases above 12 * 10 to the 9th degree per liter.
Oncological processes lead to changes in the blood test of hemoglobin level, it drops sharply. The norm of hemoglobin is 120-160 g/l, with malignant tumors the indicator does not exceed 80 g/l, running processes reduce the concentration of hemoglobin to 40 g/l.
Cancer diseases lead to an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Normally, the ESR in a woman is up to 15 mm / h, up to 10 mm / h, the indicators increase sharply, 30-50 mm / h can be observed. This indicator changes, because during the protective reaction of the body in the blood, the balance of proteins changes, so the separation of blood into plasma occurs much faster.
Oncology of the hematopoietic system
With the development of leukemia (popular name -), there is a sharp change in the platelet count. The number of these blood cells decreases, because. they are produced by the bone marrow, which in leukemia cannot function properly. The level of platelets in the blood decreases to 20 * 10 to the 9th degree per liter and below.
In the general analysis, with the development of leukemia, altered myeloid cells appear - these are large atypical cells that are not observed in the blood healthy person. With the development of oncology of the hematopoietic system, the leukocyte changes in the general blood test - the number of immature eosinophils, as well as basophils, increases, the number of neutrophils decreases. These changes occur because the immune system is trying to cope with the disease that has arisen, but there is only a failure in the production of leukocyte fractions.