Abstract
Cancer has a higher chance of being cured when it is diagnosed, detected,
and treated early. Diagnosis of cancer in its early stages also results in the highest
chance of survival with the improvement of lifestyle of cancer patients. A
comprehensive physical exam and a full family medical history are needed before a
cancer diagnosis can be made. Self-examination or other screening procedures will
normally detect visible forms of cancers, such as melanoma and breast cancer, before
the condition progresses. However, several forms of other types of cancer are
discovered and diagnosed after disease development and severe signs have already
occurred. This chapter discusses the diagnostic approaches that are often utilized to aid
in the diagnosis of cancer.