High blood platelet count 'as good a cancer predictor as a lump in the breast'

Common blood tests could help diagnose cancer early even in patients that show no other symptoms, study finds

A common blood test could help diagnose cancer earlier, according to research suggesting a high platelet count is strongly associated with the disease.

Platelets are tiny blood cells that circulate in the body, helping wounds to clot. But in some individuals too many platelets are produced - a condition known as thrombocytosis, thought to affect about half a million people in the UK over the age of 40.