Frequent cases of oncological diseases cause scientists to carry out research to identify such terrible diseases by analyzing various deviations in the composition of the blood. The blood of a healthy person has a certain content of leukocytes, erythrocytes, hemoglobin and other important blood proteins.
Scientists have found that rapidly growing malignant tumor cells release a large number of special compounds that can be detected by performing a blood test for cancer.
Changes in blood caused by cancer
A malignant tumor can provoke such changes in the composition of the blood:
- Elevated blood levels of patient leukocytes, which are responsible for inflammatory processes in the body. Accordingly, the level of their content in the blood increases for "struggle".
- The speed of movement of erythrocytes ( COE ) in the blood rises, the basic functions of the red blood cells of the blood are poorly performed, which leads to general malaise, and it is not possible to reduce their speed with anti-inflammatory drugs.
- The amount of active hemoglobin in the blood decreases, which is responsible for the presence of the main element in the blood.
All these deviations show a common blood test for cancer.
But accurate data on the development of oncology, one general analysis can not give. Some colds can also change the number of leukocytes, hemoglobin and other components.
What blood tests show cancer?
The resulting tumor in the human body secretes into the blood specific substances - antigens, the development of which slows down healthy cells. But the appearance of such proteins in the blood makes it more likely that oncology will develop. Therefore, if cancer is supposed, the blood test should be done on proteins - oncomarkers.
For different types of such proteins, you can find out such information:
- which organ has oncology, since antigens differ in their composition;
- at what stage of development is the tumor;
- what is the size of this education;
- how the immune system of the body reacts to the actions of the antigen.
The analysis of blood on cancer markers, their dynamics and characteristics is an important factor for the doctor in identifying the disease even in the early stages of tumor origin.