To help diagnose and monitor therapy for certain cancers of the liver testicles or ovaries Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm When To Get Tested: When your healthcare practitioner suspects that you have certain cancers of the liver testicles or ovaries at intervals during and after treatment for one of these cancers sometimes when you have cancer-predisposing diseases such as chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: between 10 ng/mL to 20 ng/mL

Primarily to monitor response to pancreatic cancer treatment and to watch for recurrence sometimes to aid in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm sometimes samples of other types of body fluids When To Get Tested: During and or following pancreatic cancer treatment Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: between 0 U/mL and 37 U/mL (units/milliliter)

Primarily to monitor cancer treatment including response to therapy and recurrence as an indicator of the amount of cancer or size of tumor present tumor burden and to assist in cancer staging occasionally as follow up to a positive screening test for cancer to compare whether the level falls to normal indicating that the cancer was all likely removed after treatment for the cancer Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm occasionally another body fluid such as fluid from the abdomen peritoneal the chest pleural or from the spinal cord cerebrospinal CSF When To Get Tested: When you have been diagnosed with colon pancreas breast lung ovarian medullary thyroid or other cancer prior to starting cancer treatment and then if elevated at intervals during and after therapy occasionally when cancer is suspected but not confirmed to aid in its detection Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: <2.5 ng/ml in an adult non-smoker and <5.0 ng/ml in a smoker

To help diagnose infectious mononucleosis mono to distinguish between an Epstein-Barr virus EBV infection and another illness with similar symptoms to help evaluate susceptibility to EBV Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm When To Get Tested: When you have symptoms of mono but a negative mono test when a pregnant woman has flu-like symptoms occasionally when an asymptomatic person has been exposed to someone with mono or possibly as a means to check immune system function Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: normal range is 0 mm/hr 22 mm/hr to for men and 0 mm/hr to 29 mm/hr for women

To evaluate the hemoglobin content of your blood as part of a general health checkup to screen for and help diagnose conditions that affect red blood cells RBCs if you have anemia low hemoglobin or polycythemia high hemoglobin to assess the severity of these conditions and to monitor response to treatment Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm or by a fingerstick children and adults or heelstick newborns When To Get Tested: With a hematocrit or as part of a complete blood count CBC which may be ordered as a component of a general health screen when you have signs and symptoms of anemia weakness fatigue or polycythemia dizziness headache at regular intervals to monitor these conditions or response to treatment Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: Normal results for adults vary, but in general are: Male: 13.8 grams per deciliter (g/dL )to 17.2 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or 138 to 172 grams per liter (g/L) Female: 12.1 to 15.1 g/dL or 121 to 151 g/L

To screen men for prostate cancer to help determine the necessity for a biopsy of the prostate to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for prostate cancer and or to detect recurrence of prostate cancer Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm When To Get Tested: When a man has symptoms suggestive of prostate cancer such as difficult painful and or frequent urination may also be ordered during and at regular intervals after prostate cancer treatment in asymptomatic men after a discussion with your healthcare provider about the benefits and harms of screening and you make an informed decision to undergo screening For specific details see prostate cancer screening for Adults and Adults 50 and Up Test Preparation:Avoid ejaculation for 24 hours before sample collection as it has been associated with elevated PSA levels the sample should also be collected prior to your health practitioner performing a digital rectal exam DRE and prior to or several weeks after a prostate biopsy Normal Test Result: normal PSA level is considered to be 4.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood, but this varies by age

To help determine the cause of abnormal results on a white blood cell WBC count to help diagnose and or monitor an illness affecting your immune system such as an infection or inflammatory condition or cancers that affect your white blood cells such as leukemia Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm or by a fingerstick children and adults or heelstick infants When To Get Tested: As part of a complete blood count CBC when you have a routine health examination when results of a CBC fall outside the reference range when you have any number of signs and symptoms that may be related to a condition affecting white blood cells such as infection inflammation or cancer when you are receiving treatment that is known to affect WBCs such as chemotherapy Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: 4,500 WBCs per microliter (4.5 to 11.0 × 109/L)to 11,000 WBCs per microliter (4.5 to 11.0 × 109/L)