Laboratory Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I have to get my blood drawn every time I am here?
The physician must monitor your blood count as long as you are having chemotherapy treatments; your white blood count (WBC), red blood count (RBC), and platelet count can be affected by the drugs that are used. Depending on these counts, the physician will determine whether you receive the treatment and how much you will receive. Even after treatment is over, you will have blood drawn periodically.

Why can’t you stick my finger?
There are some laboratory tests that require a very small amount of blood that can be obtained by a finger stick (CBC, PT/INR for example). However, the physician often wants chemistry tests that require a larger quantity of blood. In this case, a venipuncture (puncture of a vein through the skin in order to withdraw blood) must be performed.

My other doctor just drew a blood sample; why can’t you use those results?
It depends on the tests that your other physician ordered and when; most times our doctors need current results to determine the course of your therapy. If the tests are duplicated, then we can get copies from the other doctor, or send our results to your physician to keep you from getting your blood drawn twice unnecessarily.

How soon will the doctor get the results? When will I know?
The complete blood count (CBC) is run immediately in each office so that the physician and/or chemotherapy nurse has the results before making any therapy decisions. If additional chemistry tests are ordered, they may be either run in our office or sent to our reference lab. In this case, the results would be back within 1-2 days and you would be notified of any abnormal results once the physician reviews the report.