Test for Cancer – 4 Best Means to Diagnose Cancer in Individuals

Cancer, rampant growth of divergent and wayward cells anywhere and sometimes everywhere in the body is among the top ten dangerous and treacherous diseases in the world. There exist more than 200 types of cancer caused by different cells. Cancer, an unpredictable disease can be diagnosed through various effective test for cancer. Some of the tests for cancer are as follows-:

Biopsy:

Biopsy is the most widely used and effective test for cancer. It is the only definite way of verifying and confirming cancer. In biopsy, a part of your body tissue is removed by giving anesthesia and is tested for the presence of cancer. There are different types of biopsies depending on the part of your body needed to be tested.

Different types of biopsies and the cancers they are used to detect are mentioned below-

1. Bone Marrow Biopsy- Blood cancer
2. Endoscopic biopsy- Lung, Bladder or Colon cancer
3. Needle biopsy- Skin cancer
4. Surgical biopsy-Abdomen cancer
5. Sentinel lymph node mapping and biopsy-Lymph Nodes cancer

Though biopsy is the best method to detect cancer but it has a number of risks too. It can lead to infections or sometimes excessive bleeding and anyway cut on the skin is always painful and a peril.

Barium Enema:

Another test for cancer including the X-ray of Colon and Rectum is known as Barium Enema. Though it is lesser known medium to test cancer, it is still very effectual and operative. The whole procedure takes almost about 20-30 minutes and is obviously less painful than a biopsy.

Some of the risks that Barium Enema may include are-

1. Allergic reaction
2. Fever
3. Weakness
4. Tear in the colon wall
5. Inflammation of tissues
6. Stomach aches
7. Bloody bowel movements

Colonoscopy:

Excruciating yet constructive way to detect and treat Colon or Large Intestine is called Colonoscopy. In this particular procedure an extremely flexible tube in which a small camera is fit is used to detect the area required to be seen and treated. The procedure takes an hour to be done and completed properly. It can lead to few after effects such as abdominal pain, black stools, bleeding from the rectum, infection, fever, coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, inability to pass gas or stool and vomiting.

Bone Scan:

Bone Scan is another imaging test used to detect cancer. A minute amount of radioactive material is injected into the veins which travelling through the bloodstream helps the doctors to know the functions and activities of the cells. There are no such side effects of this test that the person might feel. Though drinking a lot of water for the next few hours of the test is recommended by the doctors.

There are various tests for cancer but their uses depend on the body part that are required to be tested. Cancer itself having the word ‘Can’ shows that the evils of cancer can’t touch us if we are strong enough to fight it away.