Additional blood tests are used to help diagnose liver cancer and find out how well your liver and other organs are working. Once you start treatment, blood tests are used to see how well the treatment is working. After treatment, blood tests are used to see if the cancer has come back.
Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein that is normally found in the blood of unborn babies, but it goes away shortly after birth. If it is found in the blood of adults, then it could indicate liver cancer (or another kind of tumor). An AFP test may be used to detect early tumors in people at high risk for liver cancer. But the AFP test is not sensitive enough to use alone for screening or confirming the diagnosis of liver cancer.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
This blood test is used to find out how well your bone marrow is working. The bone marrow produces new blood cells. The CBC measures levels of red blood cells (which carry oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infections), and platelets (which help the blood clot).
Blood Clotting Tests
The liver makes proteins that help blood to clot when you are bleeding. If your liver is damaged and cannot make enough of these clotting proteins, you may be at an increased risk of bleeding. A simple blood test, such as a prothrombin time (PT), is ordered to find out if your blood is clotting properly.