Liver, Pancreas, Stomach & Inflammation

This profile provides a broad assessment of the health of your liver, pancreas, and stomach, along with a general marker of inflammation. By checking these related areas of the digestive system together in a single blood sample, it helps build a picture of how well these organs are working and can help identify a range of common digestive and liver conditions early.

Liver function

A detailed assessment of how well your liver is working and whether it is under strain:

• ALT, AST, ALP, and GGT: liver enzymes that can indicate liver stress, damage, or problems with the bile ducts
• Bilirubin (total, direct, and indirect): a waste product processed by the liver, useful in assessing liver function and jaundice
• Albumin, globulin, and total protein: proteins made by the liver that reflect its function and your general health
• Urea: a waste product processed by the liver and cleared by the kidneys

Pancreas

Enzymes that reflect the health of the pancreas:

• Amylase and lipase: raised levels can indicate inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)

Stomach

Markers relevant to stomach health:

• Helicobacter pylori antibody: detects the immune response to H. pylori, a common bacterium that can cause stomach ulcers and inflammation
• Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA): a tumour marker that can be raised in certain digestive conditions and cancers. Please see the note below on how to interpret this

Inflammation

• CRP (C-reactive protein): a general marker that can indicate inflammation anywhere in the body

An important note on interpretation

These markers are interpreted together and alongside your symptoms. The CEA tumour marker in particular should be understood with care: it is a screening indicator, not a diagnostic test for cancer. It can be raised by many common, non-cancerous conditions (including smoking and inflammatory bowel conditions), and a normal result does not rule cancer out. Any raised or abnormal result, including CEA, should be discussed with your GP, who can interpret it in context and advise on any further investigation needed.

Why it matters

The liver, pancreas, and stomach are central to digestion and overall health, and problems in these areas often cause few symptoms in their early stages. This profile offers a convenient way to assess these related organs together, helping to detect issues such as liver strain, pancreatic inflammation, or H. pylori infection early, and to guide any further investigation.