alanab 0 #1 February 12, 2008 does something like this exist? i always wonder because people never know they have cancer until they encounter a health problem, that leads to the discovery of their cancer. i would think there should be something like this available by now, but i can't find anything on the web. any ideas? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbordson 8 #2 February 12, 2008 No. There are tumor markers for certain cancers (Ca 125 for Ovarian Cancer, CEA for bowel cancer, PSA for prostate). PET scans might find "hot spots" that are suspicious, but are generally not used for screening, rather as a tool to determine the spread of the disease. No definitive test besides biopsies of malignant tissue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RALFFERS 0 #3 February 12, 2008 I don't think there's a "specific" test for general cancer, BUT - you can get a blood test done - I don't know the English pronunciation (will try to find out), but in Polish it's "mophologia." Basically it's a blood test that detects if there's anything going on in your body & if such is the case than further investigation is conducted with more precise tests. Hope that helps. Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skiskyrock 0 #4 February 12, 2008 Quotedoes something like this exist? i always wonder because people never know they have cancer until they encounter a health problem, that leads to the discovery of their cancer. i would think there should be something like this available by now, but i can't find anything on the web. any ideas? Cancer isn't a single diease. Even one specific type (say breast cancer) isn't a single disease, it is a symptom caused by one of a number of poorly understood underlying diseases. It could be caused by a genetic mutation that causes the cancer, a mutation that causes the cancer not to be supressed, or a virus that causes a cancer as a side effect of it's own life style. There are tests for some mutations that may cause you to get some types of cancer (BRCA genetic screening for breast cancer) or test that detect markers for a type of cancer that you have (PSA test for prostate cancer) but there isn't a single tet that you can do to detect cancer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dfairleigh11 0 #5 February 12, 2008 Dermatologist for a body scan to check for funny looking skin & moles, if they find one then they take a core of it and biopsy it - that's how my melanoma got caught before it spread. Close, much too close for comfort."We'll start the ass kissing with you" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
