common tests

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Some of the tests doctors use to find out whether you have cancer, and to decide how best to treat it

In this section you will find basic information about many of the tests that doctors may use to find out whether you have cancer or another illness.

You may be offered some of these tests after you have been diagnosed and while you are being treated. This could be to see if the treatment is working to reduce your cancer.

You may undergo some of these tests to establish that you are well enough for surgery.

Some of the tests will be given after your treatment is over, to establish how successful it has been.

After your cancer has been treated, and you return to hospital for follow up appointments, there may also be tests carried out to ensure that you do not have a recurrence or a secondary cancer.

If the test you are looking for has not yet been written for this site, it will not appear in the list below. You may find it in the list of tests on the CancerHelp website. There is also a helpline number listed on the site that you can call if you need to speak to one of the information nurses about cancer tests.




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