Blood Tests for Breast Cancer.

Blood tests for breast cancer serve the following purpose:

1. Evaluate the general condition of the patient ti verify if he or she can withstand the treatment or even check for metastasis if any.
2. Evaluate the condition of the specific organs to see if there is any spread of the cancer to these organs.
3. To find out if the breast cancer is dependent on hormones for its  growth.
4. To find out if the breast cancer  is dependent on certain proteins for growth.
5. To see if the person is genetically prone to breast cancer.
6. Tumor marker tests to detect breast cancer, to check on the prognosis during treatment, to detect metastasis.

Blood cell counts.

These tests are done to evaluate the general condition of the patient. These tests are done before and during treatment for the breast cancer.

• White blood cell count tells the doctor of the immune system of the patient. A low WBC count will indicate that the patient is vulnerable to infection. An abnormally high WBC count can mean that the cancer has spread to the bones and a bone biopsy may be necessary to rule out bone marrow cancer.
• Hemoglobin test and red blood cell count will indicate the level  iron in the blood. Low hemoglobin will indicate anemia and the patient will have to be treated as such.
• Platelet count will indicate the ability of the blood to clot in case of bleeding as in surgery.

These blood counts become necessary during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy and to a lesser degree radiotherapy do lower the blood cell counts and therefore it becomes necessary to test the patient periodically during treatment. Any abnormality is treated promptly to correct the situation.

Blood Chemistry Tests.

These tests are done basically to evaluate the condition of the vital organs in the body like the liver, kidneys and the bones during treatment and after. Breast cancer can affect the function of some organs and these tests therefore become necessary.

• Liver function tests are done to test for levels of the liver enzymes (which are proteins such as SGOT and SGPT)  and serum bilirubin. These tests tell the health of the liver and any abnormality will require to rule out spread of the breast cancer to the liver.
• Testing for calcium levels will indicate bone health and density and will also indicate kidney health.
• Blood sugar levels to rule out diabetes.

Abnormal blood chemistry levels can indicate that the breast cancer may have spread to the liver or bone and further tests such as bone scan or a CAT scan may be necessary for further evaluation.

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