What is a blood test for cancer?
A new type of blood test for cancer looks for circulating tumor cells. These cells have broken off from a tumor and are in your bloodstream. This may indicate that cancer is spreading (metastasizing). The test can currently help monitor certain types of cancer, such as breast, prostate and colorectal cancers.
What is a tumour marker blood test?
Tumour markers blood test. Tumour markers are substances that either the tumour or your body produces as a response to a cancer. They’re usually proteins. They can be found in the blood, urine or the bodies tissues. Some tumour markers are only produced by one type of cancer. Others can be made by several types.
Can a blood test detect cancer floating in the bloodstream?
Recently developed blood tests are being used to detect cells that have broken away from an original cancer site and are floating in the bloodstream. One circulating tumor cell test has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to monitor people with breast, colorectal or prostate cancer.