Diagnosis

Precise diagnosis - the key to success

The earlier a cancer can be diagnosed, the better. Bowel cancer, for example, is curable if detected early, but around 20 per cent of newly diagnosed patients have cancer that has already spread beyond the bowel (metastatic disease).

Healthcare professionals use a variety of different methods to diagnose and determine the nature and spread of different kinds of cancer. Mammograms, computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ultrasound, bone scans and biopsy may all be important in breast cancer. Examination of stool specimens and colonoscopy are widely used in bowel cancer and the removal of lymph nodes, combined with X-ray and other imaging, helps to diagnose non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Across all cancers, a precise diagnosis involves the detailed examination of samples of potentially cancerous cells. Roche specialises in providing the solutions to enable those tests to be done quickly and accurately. Our aim is to arm doctors with information on the type and spread of cancer to help them decide on the best treatment for their patients.