Bone marrow aspiration/biopsy can reveal anemias, cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, or Hodgkin's disease. It is also used to determine the patient's response to chemotherapy.
There are several ways to tell if a specific body organ is cancer-involved. Although no one blood test can confirm a cancer diagnosis, some malignancies do alter the chemical composition of the blood. Special lab tests detect "tumor markers". These are substances in the blood such as specific proteins,antigens,genes,hormones or enzymes that are found in the serum and indicate the possible presence of a malignancy. (Tumor markers are not 100% accurate, because benign processes can also cause elevations/changes in blood substances.) Tumor markers are useful in monitoring response to treatment or detecting a relapse.
Common Diagnostic Tests for Cancer Include:
-Bence Jones protein
-Stool ( feces ) for occult blood
-CAT or CT scans
-Radioisotope tests ( scans )
-Endoscopy ( vizualization of a body organ or cavity through a scope)
-Cytology ( study of cells )
-Biopsy ( excision meaning taking out, a small amount of tissue to test and examine)
Hope this helps.