What is checked in your blood test

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1

just wondered, have tried googling to find out but didn’t manage to come up with anything.

What exactly is checked when you have the blood test before your chemo?

I know it must be red blood count, white blood count etc. but what else?

Sorry if this question seems daft

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just bumping this up cos I’d like to know as well!

3

Hi Guys
The main thing they check is full blood count and electrolytes. Full blood count is mainly Hb to check you’re not anaemic, platelets to check your clotting is ok but the main ones are white cell count and neutrophils. These are the infection fighting cells that take the hit of the chemo and they have to have recovered to a certain minimal level before you will be given treatment. The urea and electrolytes are not so essential for your chemo but they tend to track them anyway as it gives an overall blood picture and quite often they track tumour markers which give an indication of your overall response to treatment.
Hope this helps
xx

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Thanks eal, do you know what the technical term is for the tumour markers please?

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Hi Peacock
I think they are just called tumour markers different markers are followed for different tumours e.g Ca 125 is for ovarian and PSA is for prostate. I can’t remember what the breat cancer one is but am sure someone here will be able to jump in with it. Tumour markers are a bit of a contentious issue amongst the medics because my understanding is that they are not the be all and end all of everything. The docs use them as part of their overall diagnostic tools. Some people can get really hung up on their “number” . Although an extremely high reading way above normal values can often indicate not great progress the doctors tend to use the tumour markers alongside scan results and patient examination etc rather than purely in isolation. If your tumour markers change by only a few marks it is not usually taken as particularly significant unless there are other symptoms. I haven’t followed my tumour markers at the moment because I’m being treated for primary and the BCN said their is no point tracking it as will always be expected to be normal. I think they really come into their usefulness when secondary is being treated. I will check with the Onc though when I next see him just for my own peace of mind.
Anyone reading this please don’t take this as definitely the correct facts, this is purely my understanding of tumour markers so if anyone knows otherwise please correct me!
Good luck xx

6

Hi all

You may find this link useful, it’s to a canccerbackup page which has information about tumour markers monitered in breast cancer:

cancerbackup.org.uk/QAs/914

Best wishes
Lucy

7

Thanks Lucy, that link is helpful and interesting.

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Many thanks Lucy for your help