Screening

Catching cancer early is key to treating—and beating—the disease. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of blood and marrow cancer, think you may be at increased risk or just want to stay proactive, we encourage you to visit a CHI Saint Joseph Health primary care physician near you.

We offer routine screenings and complete blood tests to find signs of the disease or any other conditions. If your tests show anything suspicious, we also provide a full range of diagnostic tests, and can connect you directly to a board-certified specialist for any follow-up care.

To make your appointment with a caring physician, call 844.303.9355 or find a doctor anytime online.

What to Expect 

Routine blood tests can help uncover any conditions, including blood cancer, before symptoms show. If you’re already experiencing common signs and come for a medical visit, your doctor will perform a physical exam to check for swollen lymph nodes, spleen or liver. We also may order a variety of tests for a complete blood count, which measures the number of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Cancers like leukemia cause a very high level of white blood cells, and may also cause low levels of platelets and hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Other tests that can be used to diagnose blood cancer include:

• Physical exam: Your doctor will look for physical signs of blood cancer, such as swelling of your lymph nodes. Most of the time, an infection—unrelated to cancer—causes this symptom.
• Bone marrow aspiration: Your physician takes a small amount of your bone marrow fluid with a needle, which will help identify the problem, including fever or infection.
• Bone marrow biopsy: This simple procedure removes a sample of bone marrow from your hipbone using a long, thin needle. The sample is sent to a laboratory to look for blood cancer cells. Specialized tests of these cells may reveal certain characteristics that can help determine your best treatment options.
• Lymph node biopsy: Your doctor removes all or part of a lymph node, or uses a needle to take a small amount of tissue from the affected node to check for cancer cells.
• Imaging tests: Tests like X-Ray, MRI, CT or CAT scan can show swollen lymph nodes, bone problems or other signs of blood cancer

If cancer is detected, know that you have Central Kentucky’s most experienced care team in your corner. These specialists will discuss all cancer treatment options with you and create a personalized plan.