Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Diagnosis & Detection
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Diagnosing Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
If you believe you have symptoms of leukemia, you should schedule a visit with your doctor. He or she should perform a physical exam and discuss your medical history with you. Your doctor may then recommend that you have a series of tests done to analyze your blood and bone marrow.
Laboratory tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) test and a blood cell exam (peripheral blood smear) are used to make a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis. CBC tests determine the numbers of the different types of cells in your blood. In particular, the CBC test helps doctors to know the number of lymphocytes in your blood in order to diagnose this kind of leukemia. In the blood cell exam, doctors take a close look at the cells under a microscope to count cells and see if they are normal or abnormal.
Additional lab tests such as flow cytometry, cytochemistry tests and cytogenetic analysis help doctors to learn more about the type of CLL (B-cell CLL or T-cell CLL) and other critical information.
Bone marrow aspirations and biopsies are done to help doctors determine how much leukemia is present in the bone marrow. These tests for chronic lymphocytic leukemia may also be performed after treatment has begun to see if it is working as it should.
Doctors carefully consider the information obtained from these tests when making treatment recommendations. They may also utilize diagnostic imaging tools such as CT, PET/CT and ultrasound to check areas of the body that the cancer may have spread to, as well as assess how a treatment is working.
Seeking Treatment Options for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?
If you have received a chronic lymphocatic diagnosis and are looking for information about the treatment options available, please call 1-800-615-3055 or CHAT NOW. Knowledgeable and friendly Oncology Information Specialists are available 24 hours a day to provide information about treatments offered at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA).
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