Biomarkers

Oct 22, 2026

High triglycerides with normal cholesterol is a common lipid panel result. Learn why the two can split, whether it is dangerous, why a normal LDL can be misleading when triglycerides are high, and which tests to check next.

Oct 20, 2026

An underactive thyroid is linked with anxiety, but the evidence is mixed and the symptoms overlap with an overactive thyroid and with anxiety itself. Learn what the research shows and which TSH and free T4 patterns tell them apart.

Oct 19, 2026

Stress alone is not an established explanation for high ALT or AST. Understand the evidence, exercise-related changes, other causes, and the tests that help clarify the pattern.

Oct 15, 2026

Routine blood work cannot diagnose or rule out lymphoma. A complete blood count is often normal in lymphoma, even in aggressive types. Some results, such as anemia, low or high white cells, high LDH or a high ESR, can prompt a closer look, but each has far more common causes. Lymphoma is diagnosed with a biopsy, usually of a lymph node.

Oct 13, 2026

Low hemoglobin is usually not a sign of cancer. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia, and most iron deficiency comes from diet, menstrual blood loss or pregnancy. Cancer can lower hemoglobin through slow bleeding in the gut or by crowding the bone marrow, and the rest of your blood count, ferritin and a few follow-up tests show which pattern you have.

Oct 12, 2026

High calcium on routine blood work is usually not cancer. An overactive parathyroid gland is the most common cause, and cancer that raises calcium is usually already advanced and causing other symptoms. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), measured with calcium, is the test that separates the two.

Oct 9, 2026

High potassium in older adults usually comes from kidneys that clear potassium less easily, often combined with a medicine that holds potassium in the body. A falsely high result from the blood draw is also common. Here is how to tell the causes apart, when a result is urgent, and what to test next.

Oct 7, 2026

Low potassium is rarely a sign of cancer. Diuretics, vomiting, diarrhea, laxatives, low magnesium and aldosterone excess explain most low results. The real cancer links are a few hormone-making or fluid-draining tumors and, for high potassium, tumor lysis and falsely high lab results. Here is how the tests tell the causes apart.

Oct 6, 2026

Low vitamin B12 is rarely a sign of cancer. Diet, age, acid-reducing medicines, metformin and absorption problems explain most low results. The real links run through pernicious anemia, stomach surgery and, in the other direction, unexplained high B12. Here is how the tests tell the causes apart.