Blood tests help doctors at the UPMC Liver Cancer Center determine:
A platelet count can detect liver cancer in its early stages.
A white cell count below the normal range can be a sign of an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and/or an increase in the blood pressure within the liver’s blood vessels (portal hypertension).
Blood tests — known as blood chemistries — evaluate liver function, specifically:
Blood tests for specific tumor "markers" detect the presence of:
DCP and neurotensin are markers (in the presence of a normal AFP) for the fibrolamellar variant of liver cancer, which often occurs in children.