What is diagnosis?

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms.

If you have any signs and symptoms of a suspected cancer, a series of tests and evaluations are done to confirm or rule out the presence of cancer.

The types of diagnostic tests you will undergo depends on where the suspected cancer is thought to be. 

Screening is also advised for specific cancers to detect precancerous cells or early-stage cancer even if you don’t have symptoms. The goal of cancer screening is to identify cancer early so that it can be treated and you can have better outcomes. 

Below is a general overview of the diagnostic procedure:

Physical exam: Any lumps, changes in skin colour, or enlarged organs will be examined by a doctor. Tell the doctor about every unusual symptom you are experiencing.

Family history: Your family’s medical history will be recorded. You may not know about all of their diagnoses but give as much information as you can.

Laboratory tests: Blood and urine tests can check for abnormalities that may indicate cancer. 

Imaging tests: X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, or PET scans are used to examine your internal organs. 

Biopsy: This is usually the only way to confirm a cancer diagnosis; tissue or a fluid sample from the suspicious area or tumour will be taken and sent for analysis.  

After a cancer diagnosis, a doctor will stage the cancer to describe how advanced it is. This includes factors like the size of the cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.