Pathology

Following your first or subsequent visit to the surgeon, you may be asked for a blood test, below are a few common tests prescribed by your surgeon.

Some of the more common blood tests are…

Complete blood picture (CBP): The haemoglobin level is checked and the different blood cells are looked at in detail under the microscope. Various forms of anaemia are picked up as are viral infections like glandular fever. People on some medications require regular FBE’s.

Renal Function test (RFT) : This test is a measure of kidney function. We see an elevated serum urea or creatinine with dehydration or if the kidney function is impaired. The electrolytes are the various salts in the bloodstream… things like sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate. The potassium level is of particular importance in people on diuretics or fluid tablets. Frequently the level falls in these patients and oral potassium supplements are required. Calcium in blood may be assessed to determine the

Liver function tests (LFT’s): The levels of several liver enzymes rise markedly when the liver is damaged by infections like hepatitis, or by toxins like alcohol and certain drugs. Likewise, in a jaundiced patient where bile secretion from the liver is blocked, an elevated bilirubin level is seen. We also measure the protein and albumin levels; with chronic illnesses the albumin tends to gradually fall to quite low levels.

Tumour marker

Tumor markers are substances that are produced by cancer or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions. Most tumor markers are made by normal cells as well as by cancer cells; however, they are produced at much higher levels in cancerous conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, urine, stool, tumor tissue, or other tissues or bodily fluids of some patients with cancer. Most tumor markers are proteins. However, more recently, patterns of gene expression and changes to DNA have also begun to be used as tumor markers.

Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)

• Cancer types: Liver cancer and germ cell tumours
• Tissue analyzed: Blood
• How used: To help diagnose liver cancer and follow response to treatment;

CA19-9

• Cancer types: Pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer and  gastric cancer
• Tissue analyzed: Blood
• How used: To assess whether treatment is working

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)

• Cancer types: Colorectal cancer and some other cancers
• Tissue analyzed: Blood
• How used: To keep track of how well cancer treatments are working or check if cancer has come back

Chromogranin A (CgA)

• Cancer type: Neuroendocrine tumours
• Tissue analyzed: Blood
• How used: To help in diagnosis, assessment of treatment response, and evaluation of recurrence