Cancer Diagnosis: All You Need to Know About Diagnostic Tests for Different Types of Cancers

Early intervention for cancer is crucial for a patient’s recovery. Cancer prevention is not only about awareness of the different types, risk factors, and symptoms of each cancer, but also extends to knowing the available diagnostic tests and when a person needs them.

Diagnostic testing is imperative for individuals experiencing cancer symptoms to help verify the existence of the cancer and identify the location, extent, and stage of cancer.¹ Doctors use several approaches when performing diagnostic testing. Generally, they will first perform a physical examination and request laboratory and blood tests.² They may also order other tests and procedures, such as imaging tests, endoscopic examination, and biopsy, to confirm a cancer diagnosis.²

Imaging Tests

Imaging tests create images of areas inside a patient’s body to help doctors detect if cancer is present.²

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan is one of the most commonly used imaging tests for cancer detection.¹ It uses a donut-shaped x-ray machine to take a series of pictures of a patient’s internal organs from different angles.² These pictures are then used to create detailed 3D images that doctors utilize to detect cancer and determine its exact location.²

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses a powerful magnet and radiofrequency waves to take a series of pictures in a patient’s body.² Similar to the images taken in CT scans, MRI pictures are used to create detailed images of the patient’s internal organs, essentially showing the difference between healthy and unhealthy tissue.²

X-Ray is an imaging test that uses low doses of radiation to produce images of internal structures.² These images are used to detect, stage, and treat cancer.¹

Nuclear Medicine Scan, also called radionuclide scan, uses radioactive material or dye, sometimes called a tracer, to take detailed images of the patient’s internal structures.² The tracer flows through the bloodstream and collects in certain bones and/or organs.² A camera is then used as a scanner to measure the radioactivity in the body and create pictures of bones or organs.²

Ultrasound is another imaging test that is frequently used in the detection of cancer. It uses high- frequency sound waves to produce images of areas inside the body.² Ultrasounds allow doctors to view the movement and function of internal organs in real-time, enabling them to analyze what is going on

inside the patient’s body.¹

Mammography is often used to screen for breast cancer. This imaging test utilizes a low-dose X-ray to produce images of a patient’s breast tissue, enabling doctors to examine and visualize possible abnormalities.¹

Endoscopy Procedures

An endoscopy is a procedure where doctors use an endoscope – a long, thin tube with a tiny camera and light at the end – to examine a patient’s internal organs.³ Doctors use different types of endoscopies to view specific target areas:

• Bronchoscopy is used to examine a patient’s trachea (windpipe) and lungs.³ This procedure can help detect lung cancer or esophageal cancer.¹
• Colonoscopy is used to view the entire length of a patient’s colon and large intestine.³
• Cystoscopy is the procedure used to examine the inside of the bladder.³
• Laparoscopy is used to examine the stomach, liver, or other abdominal organs, including female reproductive organs such as the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes.³
• Laryngoscopy is the procedure used to view the patient’s larynx (voice box).³
• Proctoscopy is the endoscopic examination method used to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon (the bottom part of the colon).³
• Thoracoscopy is used to examine the pleura (membranes that line the lungs), and the inside of the chest cavity.³

Biopsy Tests

A biopsy is the diagnostic procedure performed to remove a sample of a piece of tissue or fluid from the patient’s body to be tested for cancerous cells.¹ Doctors generally use this diagnostic test for the majority of cancers to make a diagnosis.⁴

Bone marrow biopsy is the procedure that doctors commonly use to diagnose both non-cancerous and cancerous blood problems.⁴ This type of biopsy test can also help detect if cancer has originated in or traveled to the bone marrow.⁴

Endoscopic biopsy is often used to take a sample of tissue from a suspicious area in the internal organ being examined.⁴

Needle biopsy is the procedure doctors use when they feel tumors through their patient’s skin – such as enlarged lymph nodes and suspicious breast lumps.⁴ In this type of biopsy test, there are several procedures that doctors can use to extract sample fluid and cells, including fine-needle aspiration, core needle biopsy, vacuum-assisted biopsy, and image-guided biopsy.⁴

Skin biopsy is used to remove cells from the surface of the patient’s body and diagnose skin conditions.⁴ Several skin biopsy procedures can be performed, including shave, punch, incision, and excisional biopsies.⁴ The type of skin biopsy a doctor will perform will depend on the suspected type of cancer and the extent of the suspicious or cancerous cells.⁴

Where to get more information about cancer diagnosis?

Patients need to consult with their doctors to ensure correct and early diagnosis. Effective diagnostic testing and accurate cancer diagnosis are crucial in monitoring the progression of the disease and planning for cancer treatment.¹

After cancer is diagnosed, patients and their families may have more questions, particularly on the steps after cancer diagnosis. They can ask their doctors to answer their queries based on the treatment plan they have tailored for the cancer patient.

They can also look through local initiatives such as MSD’s Hope From Within and Cancer Game Plan PH campaign to gain more insight on how to successfully navigate the cancer journey. These initiatives provide patients with more informational resources and up-to-date knowledge about cancer, to help loved ones learn how to support cancer patients in their journey.

REFERENCES

1. Diagnostic evaluations. (2021, October 27). Retrieved from Cancer Treatment Centers of America: https://www.cancercenter.com/diagnosing-cancer
2. How Cancer Is Diagnosed. (2019, July 17). Retrieved from National Cancer Institute: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/diagnosis
3. Types of Endoscopy. (2019, June). Retrieved from Cancer.Net: https://www.cancer.net/navigating- cancer-care/diagnosing-cancer/tests-and-procedures/types-endoscopy
4. Biopsy: Types of biopsy procedures used to diagnose cancer. (2020, January 16). Retrieved from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/biopsy/art-20043922