Can a blood test indicate cancer?

[sunsocks]

Hi - Just wondered if a blood test can pick up signs if someone has cancer?

[ethandron]

the short answer is yes, for some cancers.

[daffy654]

Only if they are actually testing specifically for cancer. They wouldn't pick it up if they were just testing for something common (toxicology for eg).

[ummmm]

Yes. That's how my Dad was diagnosed.

[Sqad]

There are so many cancers.........but the simple answer is YES.

A routine blood test would pick up the many types of Leukaemias.
A PSA for men is now becoming a routine part of a blood test for men to exclude prostate cancer.

Tumour markers are very specialised and have to be requested only at specialised units.