Can a Blood Test Detect Kidney Cancer?

Blood tests cannot directly detect kidney cancer, but they are an important part of the diagnostic process. While they cannot confirm the presence of a tumor, blood tests can provide clues about kidney function, general health, and whether additional testing is needed.

Doctors typically order blood tests when kidney cancer is suspected to evaluate:

  • Kidney function, using markers such as creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
  • Red blood cell count, as anemia (low red cells) is common in kidney cancer
  • Calcium levels, which may be elevated in some cases of advanced kidney cancer
  • Liver function, to check for spread or rule out other causes of symptoms

If these blood test results are abnormal, they may prompt further investigation, such as imaging studies. However, normal blood results do not rule out kidney cancer, which is why imaging tests like ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI are needed for diagnosis.

Currently, there is no specific blood marker that can detect kidney cancer early in the same way that PSA is used for prostate cancer or CA-125 for ovarian cancer. Research is ongoing to develop blood-based tests that could help detect kidney cancer earlier, but these are not yet available in routine practice.

In some advanced cases, blood tests may be used to monitor how the body is responding to treatment or to detect signs of cancer progression. Still, imaging remains the primary method for detecting and tracking kidney tumors.

In short, blood tests support the diagnosis but cannot confirm or rule out kidney cancer on their own.

Looking for more questions?

Visit our Kidney Cancer Questions page for all other topics explained in plain language.

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