How Is Advanced Cancer Found?

It’s hard to know who will get metastatic or advanced cancer. Some types of cancer are more likely to spread than others. One way is to look at the cancer cells under a microscope. This process is called grading the cancer. The more normal the cells look, the less likely they are to spread. Another way is to look at the size of the tumor. Also, if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, it is much more likely to spread to other parts of the body. Sometimes the lymph nodes are removed during surgery and looked at for cancer cells.

Even with all of this, doctors aren’t always sure whether a person’s cancer will spread or whether they already have advanced cancer. So the doctor will probably do a complete physical exam and also conduct some other tests to find the answer.

The most telling symptom of advanced cancer is loss of energy and feeling very tired. Most people with advanced cancer have a hard time doing everyday tasks. Weight loss is another sign. Shortness of breath is common with advanced lung cancer. Pain may or may not go along with advanced cancer.

As part of the physical exam, your doctor may look for signs such as fluid in the lungs or stomach area, tumor lumps on or within the body, or an enlarged liver.

Certain blood tests can point to advanced cancer. Some cancers can produce different substances or tumor markers in the blood. Blood tests can detect these markers. For more information, see the American Cancer Society document, Tumor Markers.

Pictures of the inside of the body (imaging studies) are also used to look for advanced cancer. These might include:

• chest x-rays to look for tumors in the lungs or fluid in the chest
• CT scans (computed tomography), a special type of x-ray
• MRI scans (magnetic resonance imaging), which use radio waves and strong magnets instead of x-rays
• PET scans, which use a form of sugar with a radioactive atom
• ultrasound, which uses sound waves to produce an image of the inside of the body
• radionuclide bone scans, to help show whether the cancer has spread to the bones

Often when an imaging test shows something that isn’t normal, the doctor will want to do a biopsy to find out if it is cancer. This is done by taking a small piece of tissue and looking at it under the microscope. Usually the biopsy is done by putting a needle into the spot and sucking out pieces of tissue or fluid. Often a biopsy is the only sure way to tell if the cancer has spread.

If you would like more information on any of these tests please see the ACS paper about your primary cancer site or the detailed guide to advanced cancer. You can also ask your doctor or nurse to tell you more about any tests or studies you’re going to have.

Source: http://www.cancer.org