Tests for Different Possible Cancers

If cancer is a possibility, it is your doctor’s responsibility to order the necessary tests to accurately and quickly diagnose your cancer. The quicker your cancer is diagnosed, the more quickly you can start treatment and increase your chance of survival. Here are some tests that should be run if you suspect cancer:

Skin cancer

If your doctor thinks you have melanoma, he or she should take a biopsy from the area around the melanoma and send it to a pathology lab for analysis. If your biopsy shows melanoma, you may need to have more tests, like another biopsy or a lymph node dissection to determine whether the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes.

Breast cancer

If you learn changes in your breast, and are over age 40 you should have a mammogram—an x-ray of your breasts. If you are under 40, an ultrasound is usually better for detecting cancer. A doctor may also take a biopsy for a more accurate diagnosis.

If cancer is found, there are many different tests a doctor can use to find out if the breast cancer has spread. The tests vary depending on where the doctor suspects the cancer might have spread to. You may need a whole body CT scan, since the bones, liver and lungs are the most common places for secondary breast cancer, you are most likely to have tests for cancer spread to these parts of the body.

Prostate cancer

To check for prostate cancer, your doctor should first examine your prostate by examining your rectum to feel your prostate gland. If there are hard spots on the prostate, your doctor should recommend additional testing, such as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This blood test measures the amount of PSA in your system. A high level of PSA can indicate cancer. Other tests that can detect cancer include:

· Urine tests (to check for blood or infection)

· Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) blood test

· Ultrasound

· Transrectal ultrasonography

· Intravenous pyelogram

· Cystoscopy

· Biopsy

· Pathology analysis

Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer can be tough to diagnose. Many kidney tumors are found when X-rays are taken for other reasons. Kidney tumors are felt during an abdominal exam about 20 percent of the time. Because of this, other tests should be conducted. These include:

· Blood tests to check for infection, anemia, and kidney function

· Urine tests to check kidney function

· Intravenous pyelogram (a kidneys x-ray study)

· Ultrasound of the kidneys

· CT scan of the kidneys

· Arteriogram (a special x-ray of the arteries and veins of the kidney)

· Chest X-ray to determine possible spread

Cervical cancer

The Papanicolaou (Pap) smear is where cervical cells are collected and smeared on a slide for microscopic examination. It is an effective screen for precancerous or cancerous changes in cervical cells. If these cells are evident, other tests should be conducted such as:

· HPV DNA test – to detect the presence of the most common high-risk HPV types

· Colposcopy – a follow-up test that involves putting a vinegar-like solution on the cervix to check for abnormalities

· Schiller test – a test where iodine is placed on the cervix, causing normal cells to turn brown and abnormal cells to show up as white or yellow.

· Biopsy – if abnormal areas are found on the cervix, small pieces of tissue should be removed for examination

If your doctor failed to run the appropriate tests for cancer and you suffered as a consequence, our medical malpractice attorneys will diligently seek answers through free medical expert case evaluations. We aggressively pursue proper compensation through litigation.

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