BLOOD tests are used across medicine for a range of different things and doctors will sometimes schedule a test to delve deeper into your symptoms.
But what can a blood test really reveal about your health and can it detect cancer?
Doctors use blood tests to help determine how good your general health is, including how well your kidneys and liver are functioning.
For most blood tests you can eat and drink normally, but if you are having a fasting blood test then you will usually need to stop eating and drinking beforehand, but a doctor will always advise you how long you must do this for.
Once a medic has taken your blood it is sent to a laboratory where it is analysed and the different blood cells can be counted.
Experts can also test for different kinds of chemicals in the blood.
Can blood tests detect cancer?
Blood tests can be used to diagnose cancer and other conditions, Cancer Research UK states.
These types of blood tests usually look for tumour markers which are substances that might be raised if there is a cancer.
Guidance states: "Some tumour markers are only produced by one type of cancer. Others can be made by several types. Some markers are found in non cancerous conditions as well as cancer.
"Doctors might use tumour markers to help diagnose a cancer. And if you have cancer they can also help to monitor how well your cancer treatment is working or check if the cancer has come back."
The NHS says that blood tests can be used to find certain cancers such as prostate, ovarian and breast cancer.
If it's suspected that you have prostate cancer then you will be given prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
This can help diagnose prostate cancer and other problems such as an enlarged prostate.
Testing the blood for a protein called CA125 can indicate ovarian cancer but can also be a sign of pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Medics might also test you for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes as certain versions of these can increase a woman's chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
These tests may be carried out if you have a family history of these illnesses.
NEW TESTS
Research in England and Wales is currently looking into a new type of blood test that would be able to detect a range of cancers.
The Galleri blood test is still undergoing trials and looks for abnormal DNA in the blood and the blood is tested for signals that might mean you have cancer.
The aim is to pick up cancers at an early stage as the earlier a cancer is detected the earlier it can be treated.
In general there are a whole host of different tests and scans you might have to find out if you have cancer and this is all dependent on the type of cancer you are showing symptoms for.
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