a question about the big C

[crazilyanxious]

I just have a general question about the disease we all dread and fear we have so often: cancer.  If someone were to have cancer, would a CBC blood count show any drastic changes to warn that something is wrong in the body?  Or would a blood test look normal, even if you have cancer?  This is just something I wonder sometimes, as I've had my blood tested several times in the past year and a half, and it's always been relatively normal, but I've had intense fears of cancer as well.

[sixpack]

cbc blood tests don't detect all cancers especially in the early stages.  [edit]  cbc will show abnormalities for leukemia and probably lymphoma. 

once other cancers become advanced then cbc may have certain numbers that are off.

of course this does NOT mean you have cancer. 

[Mom21]

Thank you for asking. I was wondering the exact same thing today.

[oregoncoastlady]

It would be great if a simple blood test could detect all cancers, wouldn't it? What six pack said is right. My dad's blood work showed he was anemic and it wasn't improving, his doctor sent him to an oncologist and after a bone marrow biopsy they found out he had non-hodgkins lymphoma. When he had his neck cancer three years ago his blood work was fine. Of course, the two inch tumor on his neck made that one easier to diagnose.