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CION Cancer Clinics
LDH, uric acid and ferritin on a haematology panel | CION Cancer Clinics
A high LDH means cells somewhere in your body are breaking down faster than usual. It does not say where or why. Muscle strain, liver problems, infection and a damaged sample are more common causes than cancer. Uric acid and ferritin often sit beside it on a haematology panel. This page explains what each one tells your doctor, and when a result needs a closer look. At CION Cancer Clinics, our haematologist reviews abnormal blood reports with you, orders only the tests that answer your question and explains each result plainly.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Basudev PokhrelConsultant Haematologist · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What does a high LDH mean on a blood test?
- What do LDH, uric acid and ferritin each tell a doctor?
- When is each result more or less worrying?
- How will a doctor follow up an abnormal result?
- What do people wrongly assume about these results?
- What can these three tests not tell you?
- Common questions about LDH, uric acid and ferritin
The short answer
What does a high LDH mean on a blood test?
A high LDH means cells somewhere in the body are breaking down faster than usual. It does not say where or why. Muscle strain, liver problems, infections, red cell breakdown and a sample damaged in the tube are all more common causes than cancer.
What LDH is
LDH stands for lactate dehydrogenase. It is an enzyme, a working protein, found inside almost every cell in your body: muscle, liver, heart, red cells, lungs and more. When cells are damaged or turn over quickly, LDH spills into the blood. So a raised level is a sign of activity or damage, not a pointer to any one organ.
Why haematologists order it with uric acid and ferritin
In blood disorders, these three tests answer practical questions. LDH and uric acid rise when cells are multiplying and dying quickly, which can happen in some lymphomas and leukaemias. Ferritin shows how much iron the body has stored. None of the three can diagnose a blood cancer on its own. Together with the blood count, they help your doctor decide what to look at next, and how closely to watch you.
Reference ranges differ between laboratories and testing methods. Read each result against the range printed on your own report.On the panel
What do LDH, uric acid and ferritin each tell a doctor?
Three quite different tests that often appear together on a haematology panel.
LDH
A general marker of cell breakdown. In lymphoma it is one of the factors doctors use to judge how active the disease is, and it is watched during treatment.
Also raised by
- Hard exercise or muscle injury
- Liver disease, infections, red cell breakdown
- A haemolysed, or damaged, sample
Uric acid
A waste product made when cells break down their genetic material. Very fast-growing blood cancers, or the start of their treatment, can raise it sharply and strain the kidneys.
Also raised by
- Gout and diet rich in meat or alcohol
- Kidney disease, some water tablets
Ferritin
A measure of stored iron. Low ferritin means iron stores are low. High ferritin can mean too much iron, often after many transfusions, but it also rises with any inflammation.
Also raised by
- Infection and inflammation
- Fatty liver, alcohol, diabetes
Not sure whether this applies to you?
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When is each result more or less worrying?
Usually less concerning
Worth a doctor's review soon
LDH mildly raised after exercise, an injury or a difficult blood draw
LDH clearly raised with swollen glands, night sweats or weight loss
Uric acid raised with a history of gout
Uric acid rising quickly alongside abnormal blood counts
Ferritin raised during a recent infection
Ferritin high and rising in someone having regular transfusions
Ferritin low with heavy periods or poor diet
Ferritin low in a man or older woman, with no clear cause
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The one situation that cannot wait
In the first days of treatment for a fast-growing blood cancer, many cells can break down at once and flood the blood. If the person passes much less urine, has muscle cramps, a racing or irregular heartbeat, fits or confusion, go to the nearest emergency department the same day or call 108. Say which treatment was started.
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What happens next
How will a doctor follow up an abnormal result?
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A look at the whole report
The doctor checks your blood count, kidney and liver tests first. A high LDH with normal counts and a clear reason, such as recent heavy exercise, is handled very differently from one with abnormal counts.
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Questions and an examination
About weight loss, night sweats, fever, bone pain, joint pain and medicines. The doctor feels for swollen glands and an enlarged liver or spleen.
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A careful repeat sample
Often the simplest step. A sample drawn smoothly and tested promptly rules out a damaged tube, and shows whether the value is steady, rising or already settling.
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Targeted tests, if needed
Iron studies for ferritin, a blood smear for unusual cells, or an ultrasound or scan if glands or organs are enlarged. A haematologist decides whether a marrow test or biopsy is needed.
Commonly believed
What do people wrongly assume about these results?
"High LDH is a tumour marker, so there must be cancer."
LDH is used to follow some cancers once they are known. It is not a test that finds cancer. Most people with a high LDH have a muscle, liver, infection or sample reason.
"High ferritin always means iron overload, so we should stop iron-rich food."
Ferritin also rises with inflammation, infection and fatty liver, even when iron stores are normal. A doctor checks other iron tests before calling it overload. Do not change diet or medicines on your own because of one ferritin value.
"High uric acid only matters for gout."
It usually is gout or diet. In someone with abnormal blood counts or starting treatment for a blood cancer, a rising uric acid matters for the kidneys, and the treating team watches it closely.
"If LDH comes down, the cancer is gone."
A falling LDH during treatment is a good sign, but it is one piece of evidence. Scans, blood counts and sometimes a marrow test decide whether treatment has worked.
Being straight with you
What can these three tests not tell you?
None of these tests can diagnose a blood cancer, name its type, or tell you the outlook. This page cannot say whether your own result matters. That depends on your symptoms, your blood count and whether the value changes on a repeat test.
Why a single result can mislead
LDH is easily raised when a blood sample is drawn with difficulty or shaken, because damaged red cells release it into the tube. Ferritin can stay high for weeks after an infection. Uric acid moves with what you ate and drank the day before. A repeat test, taken carefully, often gives a clearer answer than worrying over the first one.
When a haematologist helps
Ask to see a haematologist, a doctor who specialises in blood disorders, if these results come with abnormal blood counts, swollen glands, drenching night sweats or unexplained weight loss. CION's haematology team can read the panel together with your earlier reports and advise whether further tests are needed.
If you are already on treatment
Your team orders these tests to keep you safe. Ask what each result means for your plan, and never adjust a medicine yourself because a number changed.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about LDH, uric acid and ferritin
Can LDH be high without cancer?
Yes, very often. Hard exercise, muscle injury, liver disease, heart or lung problems, infections, red cell breakdown and a damaged blood sample can all raise LDH. That is why doctors read it alongside your symptoms, the blood count and other tests, and often repeat it before drawing any conclusion.
Why is LDH checked in lymphoma?
In lymphoma, LDH gives a rough idea of how active the disease is. It is one of several factors doctors consider when planning treatment, and it is checked again during treatment. On its own it does not diagnose lymphoma or set the plan, and your haematologist will explain how it fits your picture.
My ferritin is high. Do I have too much iron?
Not necessarily. Ferritin rises with inflammation, infection, fatty liver and alcohol, even when iron stores are normal. Doctors usually check transferrin saturation, another iron test, before deciding. Iron overload is more likely in people who have had many transfusions or who have inherited iron conditions.
My ferritin is low. Should I worry?
Low ferritin means low iron stores. It is common in women with heavy periods, in pregnancy and with poor diet. In men and in women past menopause, a doctor usually looks for hidden blood loss, often from the gut. Let the doctor find the cause before starting iron tablets.
Do I need to fast for these tests?
Usually not for LDH or ferritin. Some labs prefer a fasting sample for uric acid. Follow the instructions from the lab or your doctor. Avoid very hard exercise the day before, because it can raise LDH and make the result harder to read.
What is tumour lysis syndrome?
It is what happens when many cancer cells break down at once, usually early in treatment of a fast-growing blood cancer. Uric acid, potassium and other salts flood the blood and can harm the kidneys and heart. The treating team checks bloods closely and uses fluids and medicines to prevent it.
Will these tests be repeated during treatment?
Often, yes. LDH and uric acid are commonly checked early in treatment for some blood cancers. Ferritin is checked in people who need regular transfusions. Your team decides how often, based on your condition and treatment. Ask them what change in a result would alter the plan.
Which doctor should see these results?
Your physician for an isolated result in someone who feels well. A haematologist if the results come with abnormal blood counts, swollen glands, night sweats or weight loss, or if you already have a blood disorder. Bring every earlier report so trends can be seen.
Your Haematologist
Meet CION's haematologist. One specialist for your blood report and your plan.
Dr. Basudev Pokhrel reviews blood counts, transfusion needs and blood disorders, and works with the CION tumour board on blood cancers.
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Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. A haematology consultation can be booked at any of these centres through one helpline, and your team will tell you where each test or treatment takes place.
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Understanding Laboratory Tests
- NHS — Gout
- NHS — Haemochromatosis
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society — Lymphoma
- National Health Mission — National Health Mission
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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Not sure what your panel is showing?
Share your reports with us. CION's haematology team will read LDH, uric acid and ferritin with your blood counts and tell you what the next step is. One helpline serves every CION centre.