Diagnosing Leukemia

Chronic leukemia is sometimes discovered during routine blood tests—before any symptoms appear. If your doctor suspects leukemia based on your symptoms or lab results, you may undergo the following diagnostic tests:

1. Physical Exam

Your doctor will check for physical signs of leukemia, such as:

• Pale skin (a sign of anemia)
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Enlarged liver or spleen

2. Blood Tests

A blood sample can reveal:

• Abnormal levels of red and white blood cells or platelets
• The possible presence of leukemia cells (though some types stay in the bone marrow and don’t appear in the bloodstream)

3. Bone Marrow Test

To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may take a sample of bone marrow from your hipbone using a thin needle. The sample is tested in a lab for leukemia cells. Advanced tests can identify specific features of the leukemia, which help guide treatment decisions.

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Treatment Options for Leukemia

Leukemia treatment depends on several factors, including your age, overall health, the specific type of leukemia, and whether it has spread to other areas such as the brain or spinal cord.

Here are the most common treatment approaches:

1. Chemotherapy

The primary treatment for most types of leukemia, chemotherapy uses drugs—either as pills or IV infusions—to destroy leukemia cells. Depending on the type, you may receive one or a combination of drugs.

2. Targeted Therapy

These treatments block specific abnormalities in cancer cells, helping to stop their growth. Your leukemia cells will be tested to determine if targeted therapy is appropriate.

3. Radiation Therapy

High-energy beams (like X-rays) are used to kill or shrink leukemia cells. It can be localized to one area or given to the whole body—especially before a bone marrow transplant.

4. Bone Marrow (Stem Cell) Transplant

This procedure replaces damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells—either from a donor or your own previously collected cells. Before the transplant, high-dose chemotherapy or radiation is used to destroy diseased cells.

5. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy helps your immune system detect and attack leukemia cells, which often hide by producing special proteins. These treatments block that defense, allowing your immune system to fight back.

6. CAR-T Cell Therapy

This innovative treatment modifies your T cells (a type of immune cell) to recognize and destroy leukemia cells. It’s currently used for specific leukemia types and may be considered if other treatments haven’t worked.

7. Clinical Trials

Clinical trials offer access to new or experimental therapies. While these may offer new hope, they also come with unknown risks. Talk to your doctor to see if a trial is a good fit for you or your child.

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