Lab Tests

Lab Testing for Cancer Patients

In conjunction with your physician (or discount self-pay option), lab testing (primarily through labs such as Lab Corp or Quest) may be recommended to assess your nutritional status, the tumor microenvironment and to help determine what might be influencing cancer growth in your body. Labs recommended might include vitamins and minerals, markers of coagulation and inflammation, immune cells, growth factors and hormones and biomarkers. Follow-up testing is used to see how your therapies are working.

Functional Medicine Testing

Functional medicine testing may be recommended to help get to the root cause of chronic symptoms. Some of the tests that I commonly use are listed below.

Labs Used:

• Alletess
• Aerodiagnostics
• Cyrex Labs
• Diagnostic Solutions
• Dunwoody Labs
• Genova Diagnostics
• Great Plains laboratory
• Oxford Biomedical Technologies
• Precision Analytical
• Vibrant Wellness
• Vibrant America

Nutrient and Organic Acid Testing

Great Plains Laboratory Organic Acid Test (OAT) — a urine test that provides information on how your body is working in several areas–intestinal health, energy production, detoxification, nutrient co-factor adequacy and neurotransmitter activity. Vibrant America Micronutrient Panel — a blood test that looks at functional levels of many nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidants). Tests both extracellular (blood) levels and which gives a picture of your recent nutritional status and intracellular testing (white blood cells and red blood cells.

Gastrointestinal Health Tests

Diagnostic Solutions Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus (GI-MAP) — a cutting-edge DNA stool test which can assess your microbiome from a single sample. It screens for pathogenic bacteria, beneficial bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites plus inflammatory, immune and digestive markers. Great Plains Lab Microbial Organic Acids Test (MOAT) – The Microbial Organic Acid Test is an abbreviated version of the Organic Acid Tests (listed above) and tests for specific markers related to Candida and other yeast/fungal overgrowth and bacterial overgrowth in the gut. Vibrant Wellness Wheat Zoomer — tests for antibodies to wheat peptides for both gluten and non-gluten components which can tell us about celiac disease gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy and more. It also tests for markers for intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”). Genova Diagnostics GI Effects — stool test which cultures and identifies harmful bacteria, beneficial bacteria, yeast and parasites. Tests are run on pathogens that are found to determine which herbal treatments they are sensitive to. Also tests for markers associated with digestion and gut inflammation. Genova Diagnostics Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) — a breath test for small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Vibrant Wellness IBS Sure — a blood test that can help determine if IBS-D might be caused by Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). This test helps to identify the problem and monitor treatment response with a simple blood test.

Food Sensitivity Tests

While an elimination-challenge diet is the “gold standard” for identifying food sensitivities, testing for food sensitivities can sometimes be helpful. Labs utilized for food sensitivity testing include Alletess (IgG testing) Vibrant Wellness (IgG and IgA testing) and Oxford Biomedical Technologies Mediator Release Test (MRT).

Toxic Exposure Tests

Great Plains Laboratory Toxic Non-Metal Chemical Profile — a urine test that screens for 172 different toxic chemicals. Great Plains Laboratory MycoTox Profile — mold exposures test. A urine test for mycotoxins, toxic metabolites produced by fungi which can infest buildings and foodstuffs. These mycotoxins in environment can cause symptoms of many different chronic diseases. Great Plains Laboratory Glyphosate Test — a urine test that can identify if you have glyphosate (the primary toxic chemical in “Roundup”), a broad-spectrum herbicide used in more than 700 different products, in your system. Glyphosate is linked to many chronic health problems by disrupting the microbiome. Once detected, we can identify the source and prevent future exposure.

Hormone Testing

Precision Analytical DUTCH Comprehensive Hormone Test — A urine test that looks at stress hormones and sex hormones to identify imbalances. Genomic Testing — saliva testing to identify relevant polymorphisms may be utilized (through various labs). We can’t change our genes, although knowing that we have certain polymorphisms can help us to target specific areas through nutritional and lifestyle factors.