Cancer and Oncology Research

Cancer detection and diagnosis

Physical examination: Doctor may feel some areas of the body with lumps which may indicate cancer. In the period of physical examination, doctor may look for abnormalities, such as changes in colour of the skin or elongation of an organ, which may indicate the presence of cancer.

Laboratory tests: Laboratory tests, such as urine and blood tests, may help doctor to recognise abnormalities which show the indication of cancer. For example, in people with leukemia, a common blood test called complete blood count may give an unusual number or type of white blood cells.

Imaging tests: Imaging tests allow doctor to examine bones and internal organs. The tests that are used in detecting  of cancer which may include a computerized tomography (CT) scan, bone scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan, ultrasound and X-ray, among others.

Biopsy: During a biopsy, doctor gather a sample of cells for testing in the laboratory. There are different ways of collecting a sample. Which biopsy procedure is right depends upon the type of cancer and its location.