Blood tests are crucial tools in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Many types of cancer have high treatment success raPemeriksaan when diagnosed at an early stage. Here are some common blood tests used to detect cancer and how they help doctors diagnose this disease.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

This test measures the quantity and condition of various types of blood cells in a blood sample, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. CBC can help diagnose blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma by detecting abnormal cells or abnormal cell counts. This test is also useful for determining whether cancer has spread to the bone marrow and for monitoring the patient's condition and any side effects from cancer therapy.

Tumor Marker Tests

Tumor markers are chemicals produced by tumor cells or by the body in response to cancer. Here are some commonly used tumor marker tests:

- Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Testing: This antigen is usually not found in healthy adults. Its presence can indicate cancers such as colorectal, pancreatic, breast, ovarian, or lung cancer.

- Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Testing: This test measures the level of a protein produced by prostate gland cells in the blood, helping to detect prostate cancer.

- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) Testing: This marker is usually found in pregnant women. In adult men or non-pregnant women, the presence of AFP can indicate liver, testicular, or ovarian cancer.

- Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) Testing: This test is used to detect ovarian cancer and monitor the progress of treatment and disease recurrence.

- Cancer Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) Testing: This test is used to detect pancreatic cancer.

- Cancer Antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) Testing: This test is used to detect and monitor the progression of breast cancer and assess the effectiveness of treatment.

- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) Testing: Besides being an early indicator of pregnancy, hCG can help detect testicular cancer in men and ovarian cancer in women.

Blood tests are an important first step in detecting cancer, but in certain conditions, doctors may recommend further examinations like biopsies to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy allows doctors to obtain a sample of cancer cells and examine it under a microscope.