Many diseases at the very beginning proceed almost without symptoms. Unpleasant sensations and external manifestations of pathology are observed even when there was an increase in malignant tumors throughout the body. The treatment of cancer in this case is difficult, this process is very painful and long. If you eliminate the symptoms in the early stages, you can increase the patient's chances of a full recovery. To determine the presence of oncology, an analysis of cancer cells in the body is used.
What risk groups exist?
Some groups are more likely to get cancer than others. For example, people with fair skin, unlike dark-skinned people, are prone to melanoma. There are also a number of external factors that negatively affect the human body and provoke the transformation of cells into cancerous.
One of the most famous causes of cancer is heredity. If there have been cases of stomach cancer in the family, then children will have a predisposition to this type. The human gene contains information about such pathologies. To determine the likelihood of a disease, special tests are used to determine the predisposition to it. They are designed to study the genome.
When else is an analysis required for the presence of cancer cells in the body? In a number of professions, the risk of cancer is increased. For example, among workers who work in a variety of production areas. If a person is constantly in contact with chemicals and hazardous substances, heavy metals, resins, asbestos, chemical dyes and all kinds of radiation, then he is exposed to carcinogenic effects.
Defects in the activity of the immune system also cause a decrease in the body's resistance to a number of infections, viruses and bacteria. Cancer may develop due to weak immunity.
Other risks
Overweight is the cause of not only psychological problems, but also various diseases. Judging by the results of scientific studies conducted in the USA, people with obesity are susceptible to cancer by 45-55%.
In addition to this, other factors can also cause cancer development:
- Poor nutrition negatively affects metabolic processes, and due to a deficiency of vitamins, immunity decreases. Because of this, malignant tumors form in the body.
- Excessive drinking and smoking for a long time can also gradually affect the body and cause cancer.
- A number of features of physiological development. For example, late menopause or early menstruation significantly increase the risk of genital tumors.
- Viruses and infectious diseases adversely affect the immune system and provoke the transformation of cells. For example, due to infections of the genitourinary system, a male prostate tumor can occur, in HPV-16 it will cause cancer of the uterine neck in women.
Let's now figure out when to get tested for cancer cells in the body.
Symptomatology
A blood test is not only done during a routine medical examination. There are pathological symptoms that are not recommended to be ignored in any case. If there are signs of illness or malaise, you should immediately go to a specialist. Only timely therapy will achieve effective results and save a person’s life.
A blood test is necessary in the following cases:
- If swelling and lumps are found on the female breast. This may be a sign of tumor expansion. In this case, you need to go to a mammologist and pass the necessary tests. You need to do palpation on your own daily and visit a doctor every 2-3 months. The mammary glands require the closest attention.
- Bloody discharge in feces or urine suggests that there are disorders in the functioning of the genitourinary system or gastrointestinal tract. Without fail, you need to contact the local therapist and then donate blood for analysis, you will also need a sample of urine or feces.
In some cases, an analysis of cancer cells in the body is still required (we will list the names of these studies later in the article):
- Sudden weight loss for some reason is always a negative sign, which indicates the malfunction of the human body. In this case, a complex analysis of cancer markers is prescribed.
- Transformation of the color, size, shape of the mole also signals the need for a visit to a dermatologist. The therapist can perform an initial examination, but only a specialist with a narrow focus should give a conclusion.
- The appearance of swelling or deformation of the genitals, strange secretions, etc. may indicate the appearance of a tumor, as well as the transformation of cells into cancerous. The health status is checked by a urologist or gynecologist. He will tell you what tests to pass on cancer cells.
- Difficulties with swallowing water and food appear with lesions of the larynx and other organs. After the initial examination, the therapist writes out a referral to a gastroenterologist, ENT, or other specialist.
- Prolonged dry cough, shortness of breath, wheezing indicate defects in the functioning of the respiratory system. One of the most important research methods here should be chest x-ray.
According to the results obtained during the research in the laboratory, concerns about the appearance of oncology can either be refuted or confirmed. In the first case, additional diagnostics are necessary, during which the causes of the malaise are sought. In the second, other tests for cancer cells in the body are prescribed, and an oncologist is consulted.
Blood analysis
It’s not possible to clearly establish cancer through a blood test. A general analysis of cancer cells acts as the initial stage of diagnosis and shows the patient’s overall health status.
Thanks to biochemistry, you can determine the problem direction, for example, defects in the liver. But the diagnosis of cancer is possible only thanks to MRI, ultrasound and biopsy. Complex expensive studies will be prescribed only after taking blood tests and obtaining the corresponding results.
Which is the most effective?
Often, patients are asked which of the tests is the most effective. However, there is no good or bad analysis. Laboratory research is done for medical reasons and is a reflection of the parameters indicated by the doctor in the direction.
So, what kind of cancer cell tests should I take?
General and biochemical test
First you need to take a blood sample to conduct a general study. If there is a malignant formation, then the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, i.e. ESR, is much higher than its permissible norm.
The analysis of cancer cells in the body is a study of the total number of different types of white blood cells, a white blood cell formula is being compiled. A serious decrease or increase in white blood cells and a high concentration of granular and immature cells indicate the development of pathology. In addition, with malignant neoplasms in patients, a decrease in hemoglobin level is observed.
When the general test is carried out, the biochemistry of the blood is examined, thanks to which you can establish the direction in search of the affected organ.
Norm
Normally, the amount of protein ranges from 75 to 85 grams per liter. Protein synthesis is inhibited due to the tumor process.
A blood test for creatinine and urea is given if kidney inflammation is suspected. Normal values: from 40 to 90 micromoles per liter and from 3 to 8 millimoles per liter, respectively. If the patient has a tumor of a malignant nature, then there is a serious increase in both indicators or the degree of urea.
In a healthy person, total cholesterol varies from 3.3 to 3.5 millimoles per liter. If the amount of lipids drops sharply, then we can judge about malignant inflammation of the liver. If the norms of liver samples are exceeded, then there are inflammatory processes in this organ (tumor, hepatitis, etc.).
With lesions of bone tissue or liver, sarcoma, the alkaline phosphatase index becomes more than 270 units of action per liter.
Tumor markers
Another name for the analysis of cancer cells, which is carried out in case of suspicion of the named pathology, is a study on tumor markers. The fact is that due to the influence of cancer, the production of special substances in the body occurs, and they can be detected during laboratory studies. These substances are specific markers that signal the development of pathology, even if symptoms are absent.
For example, AFP - to detect liver cancer, CA-125 - to determine an ovarian tumor, etc. Venous blood is needed for such an analysis. At the same time, everyone can take a blood test for cancer cells.
conclusions
If there is a special predisposition to tumor neoplasms, you need to know the tests that give up for cancer and constantly visit a doctor. Each type of disease requires its own frequency of examinations. For example, an endoscopic examination to prevent the development of stomach cancer is recommended every three years, and the mammary glands should be checked every year. If you are predisposed, you need to do examinations more often to prevent the disease at an early stage.