Diagnosing leukemia requires a thorough and personalized approach, as treatment strategies can vary significantly based on the type and stage of each person's disease.
Our experts use advanced tools to diagnose leukemia and gain a comprehensive understanding of your cancer. They also use a variety of tests to see how advanced your leukemia is—a process called staging. Accurate diagnosis and staging are essential to ensure you receive the most effective treatment while avoiding unnecessary therapies that could impact your quality of life.
If you have symptoms that suggest leukemia, your doctor may recommend one or more of these tests:
- Blood tests: These may include a complete blood count (CBC) to check for abnormal levels of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, as well as blood chemistry tests and peripheral blood smears.
- Bone marrow biopsy: This is crucial for diagnosing leukemia, as it checks for the presence of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow. Your doctor will remove a small sample of bone marrow tissue to examine under a microscope.
- Cytogenetic analysis: This test identifies specific chromosomal (genetic) abnormalities associated with different types of leukemia, which can guide treatment decisions.
- Flow cytometry and immunophenotyping: These tests help classify the type of leukemia by analyzing the proteins on the surface of the cells.
- Lumbar puncture: This test, also known as a spinal tap, may be used if there’s a suspicion that leukemia has affected the central nervous system.
Molecular DNA Analysis for Leukemia
The blood cancer specialists at Englewood Health provide advanced molecular profiling of leukemia cells. Your doctor will perform a bone marrow biopsy or blood test and send a sample to our laboratory for an in-depth analysis of its genetic features. This analysis helps us understand the biology of your leukemia, including its growth patterns and mutations, and predicts how the cancer might respond to various anti-cancer treatments. With this information, we can take a precision medicine approach that targets the unique DNA of your cancer cells for more effective treatment.