3. Blood Tests to Complement Lymphoma Diagnosis
Another exam that may be required in the case of lymphoma signs is a blood test, which measures the types of cells and chemicals present in the blood, and its amount. Blood tests are not used alone to determine if a patient suffers from lymphoma, but they help understand the stage of the disease. The most common test is a complete blood count (CBC), used to count red and white blood cells and the platelets that may indicate if the disease has affected the bone marrow. The blood chemistry test is also common to verify kidney and liver function. Further tests may be used to examine if the patient is infection with viruses like hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
