Blood Test Could Spot Disease, Offering Assistance for Cancer Patients

Early detection can be a key tool in cancer prevention.

Seeing your physician regularly, keeping an eye out for any changes to your health and taking a proactive role in knowing your cancer risks can help to catch any problems in their early stages, upping the chance of beating the disease. Apart from what patients themselves can do to monitor their health, they can also make early detection a priority with a new blood test.

Researchers at Swansea University have developed a simple test, performed with a quick prick of the finger, to identify red flags that could mean cancer is developing. The test has been likened to a “smoke detector” — it doesn’t show the fire, but rather the smoke, or the noticeable sign that there is a problem.

In this case, the smoke is a mutation in the red blood cells, which often happens before cancer develops. Backers of the new test say they can now predict a cancer diagnosis up to 10 years before a patient even notices symptoms.

The test has been used to detect early signs of esophageal cancer, and researchers are next setting their sites on pancreatic cancer. It’s expected to be on the market in about five years.

Apart from its potentially life-saving nature, the test is also predicted to be a huge money-saver — both for the health-care industry and patients themselves. The earlier cancer is detected, the less likely the chance a patient would need to undergo costly chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Thinking ahead is a common-sense approach to both physical and financial health. If a diagnosis does happen, financial assistance for cancer patients is available to help them overcome the obstacles of cancer. At Life Credit, we can provide loans that allow cancer patients to meet mounting medical bills or take care of their family’s needs while they’re out of work.

Even if finances may not be at the front of your mind when a medical crisis strikes, spend some time considering how a cancer diagnosis will impact you financially — and take advantage of financial assistance for cancer patients to keep you on your path to health.