Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Treatment and Diagnosis
Tests for diagnosis
They used the following tests and procedures:
- Physical exam and history: An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including assessment for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. It also recorded history in terms of health habits and past illnesses of the patient.
- Complete blood count: A procedure in which a sample of blood and checked for the following:
• The number of red cells, white cells and platelets.
• The amount of hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen) in red blood cells.
* The part of the sample of red blood cells.
- Cytogenetic analysis: An analysis in which we study a sample of blood or bone marrow under a microscope to detect changes in the structure or number of chromosomes in the lymphocytes.
- Immune phenotyping: a test in which cells in a sample of blood or bone marrow are analyzed under a microscope to determine whether they developed malignant lymphocytes (cancer) from B lymphocytes or T lymphocytes
- Bone marrow biopsy and aspiration: The removal of a small section of bone and marrow by inserting a needle into the hipbone or breastbone. A pathologist examines the sample to the microscope for abnormal cells.
Factors influencing treatment
Treatment options depend on:
- The stage of the disease.
- Counts of red blood cells, white cells and blood platelets.
- If there are or not symptoms such as fever, chills or weight loss.
- If the liver, spleen or lymph nodes are larger than normal size.
- The response to initial treatment.
- If there was a recurrence (return) of the LLC.
The prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on:
- If you open or not a change in the DNA and the type of change, if appropriate.
- If the lymphocytes are dispersed or in whole bone marrow.
- The stage of the disease.
- Whether the CLL gets better with treatment or has recurred (come back).
- Whether the CLL progresses to lymphoma or prolymphocytic leukemia.
- The patient’s general health.