What condition may lead to a false-positive result in cancer diagnostics?

A false-positive result in cancer diagnostics can occur due to inflammatory diseases. Inflammation can cause changes in blood markers and tissue characteristics that mimic or overlap with those found in cancer. For instance, increased levels of certain proteins or altered white blood cell counts seen in inflammatory conditions may be interpreted as indicators of malignancy. This overlap can lead to diagnostic confusion, especially when specific tumor markers are not exclusively associated with cancer and can elevate in response to inflammatory processes.

While other conditions, like dehydration, recent vaccinations, and hormonal imbalances, can affect testing and clinical assessments, they do not directly create the same type of diagnostic challenge as inflammatory diseases, which actively alter the biological responses that oncologic tests rely on for accuracy.