Most people are told their labs are “perfect.” But as an oncology provider, I read bloodwork completely differently. Because cancer doesn’t start with a lump — it starts with a pattern. Here’s how to decode your labs for early cancer-risk clues: ⸻ 1. Inflammation patterns (not just one number) Cancer grows best in a chronically inflamed environment. I look at hs-CRP ferritin together, not one alone. Elevated ferritin with a “normal” hs-CRP is one of the most overlooked early red flags. ⸻ 2. Meta