Through performing routine tests such as blood test and urine test to examine the change of concentration of different metabolites, doctors can deduce the proper functioning of different organs. However, a positive result does not directly confirm the presence of cancer and doctor will perform further investigations to confirm the diagnosis.
Moreover, to monitor the side effects of cancer treatment and overall health status, cancer patients will undergo regular blood test throughout the entire course of treatment to observe the change in red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet cells.
Patients should always be aware of the use of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in monitoring treatment progress and detecting recurrence rather than making a diagnosis. Numerous health conditions such as acute hepatitis, urethritis, pregnancy may also trigger a rise in CEA level. Should there be any concerns, patients should always seek medical help from doctors.