Insurance companies often prescribe a complete health checkup before they allow you to take up a policy with them. There are instances when these are faked using synthetic substances. A search for ouchclub.com synthetic urine review reveals that these types of test are not accurate. However, for tests that determine our health status, it is vital that we know and understand the proper methods. Cancer diagnosis is one such area where utmost care has to be taken.
Cancer is one of the deadliest chronic diseases, which kills about a million people every year. The major reason for the fatality is the diagnosis of the disease at a very later stage. Therefore, it is highly recommended to take up a cancer test at the earlier stages and undergo treatment accordingly to cure it. Listed below are the various approaches to a cancer diagnosis.
Physical Examination
Initially, the doctor will try to locate an abnormal lump in the body, then by analyzing the change of skin color and the growth of the lump with time he/she may conclude it as a mass, lesion or tumor.
Blood Test
In this method, a sample of blood collected from the patient and is tested in the laboratory. Generally, the positive deviation in the count of blood cells, namely red-blood cells and white blood cells, from the nominal amount is an indication for the abnormal multiplication of cells, which is a possibility for cancer. The blood is further tested for an increase in the amount of tumor marker, a chemical produced by tumor cells, which is an indicator of cancer. In addition, elevated levels of immune system proteins (immunoglobulins) is a symptom of the presence of tumor cells.
High Energy Scans
If the preceding approaches do not ascertain the reasons for the symptoms, the doctor would prescribe to examine the lump under the following non-invasive methods: positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound imaging or x-ray scans. This gives the doctor access to examine the bones and the internal organs. Further, it shows the blood vessels that feed the tumor. Besides, CT scans are used to check how cancer responds to treatment without having to cut the patient every time.
Biopsy
The final and definitive procedure is a biopsy. It is an invasive process, where the tissues are harvested from the body and tested by a Pathologist in a laboratory. The Pathologist examines the cells under a microscope for its shape, size and internal activities, and produce the results. Biopsy results may take time depending on the intricacies involved. There are many types of biopsies, which include needle biopsy, CT-guided biopsy, Ultrasound-guided biopsy, bone marrow biopsy, and many others.
The type of approach a doctor chooses solely depends on the patient and his/her medical conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose cancer in the early stages by appropriate methods to avoid any fatal consequence.