Lao Zhang is over 50 years old this year, and his body has always been very tough. But lately, he has always felt that something is wrong with his body, he gets tired easily, and he gets dizzy from time to time.
One day, he went to the hospital for a routine blood test, and when the results came out, the doctor looked at the report and frowned. Lao Zhang chuckled in his heart, could it be that there was really something serious?
The doctor slowly spoke: "Lao Zhang, your platelet count is a bit high, well, this may be the body is sending us signals." ”
The doctor continued to explain: "The latest research says that a high platelet count may be a hint of cancer. But don't worry too much, we'll have to check it out further. ”
Lao Zhang's heart was pounding when he heard this, the words "cancer?" smashed into his heart like a hammer. Can a blood routine really screen for cancer? What should I do next? Lao Zhang's heart was full of thoughts, and he decided to listen to the doctor and have a further examination.
What is the situation with this high platelet count? Let's move on.
01
Platelets are the smallest cells in the human blood and play an important role in hemostasis. Studies in recent years have shown that abnormal platelet counts may be associated with the development of certain cancers.
A Canadian study that followed nearly 9 million residents for up to 10 years showed a 2.32-fold increased risk of developing solid tumors in people who experienced a spike in platelet counts in the six months prior to cancer diagnosis.
Especially in cancers such as ovarian cancer, bowel cancer, lung cancer, and gastric cancer, the association between platelet abnormalities and cancer occurrence is more significant, and the risk is increased several times.
Platelets are produced by the bone marrow, and when the body is injured, platelets will quickly gather at the wound to form a blood clot and play a role in stopping bleeding.
However, studies have found that abnormal platelet growth may promote tumor growth and spread. The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is not fully understood, but this finding provides new ideas and possibilities for early cancer screening in the future.
02
A routine blood test is a routine blood test that assesses the health of a person by detecting various indicators in the blood.
However, routine blood tests are not the primary means used to detect cancer. Routine blood tests mainly include white blood cell count, red blood cell count, platelet count, hemoglobin concentration and other indicators, which are mainly used to diagnose anemia, infection and other diseases.
In general, cancer does not directly cause abnormal changes in blood markers. Therefore, routine blood tests are not the primary screening tool for cancer.
For the early screening of cancer, it is more important to combine other examination methods, such as tumor marker detection, imaging examination, etc., to comprehensively evaluate the overall condition of the patient.
03
A tumor marker is a specialized protein or other molecule that is released into the bloodstream or body fluid when a tumor cell is produced.
Common tumor markers include alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), etc. Detection of tumor markers can be used as an adjunct to cancer screening to help detect cancer early.
However, an elevated tumor marker does not necessarily indicate cancer, and it may also be affected by other factors such as inflammation, infection, etc.
Therefore, the test results of tumor markers alone cannot confirm the diagnosis of cancer, and comprehensive analysis needs to be carried out in combination with other examination methods and clinical manifestations. For high-risk groups, tumor markers can be tested regularly to improve the early diagnosis rate of cancer.
04
Early screening of cancer is essential to improve cure rates and survival rates. At present, commonly used cancer screening methods include tumor marker detection and imaging examination. For different types of cancer, screening methods differ.
For example, screening for gastric cancer mainly includes gastroscopy and breath test, and screening for lung cancer mainly includes low-dose spiral CT and tumor marker testing.
Screening for liver cancer mainly includes ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein testing. For high-risk groups, appropriate screening methods should be selected on an individual basis for early detection of potential tumors.
With the development of modern medicine, our understanding of cancer is getting deeper and deeper, and screening methods are becoming more and more diverse.
However, for cancer screening, it is still necessary to comprehensively consider the patient's individual situation and risk factors, and choose the appropriate screening method. Through timely detection and diagnosis, we are confident that we can better prevent and treat cancer, laying a strong foundation for a healthy future.