This formidable disease can be detected using the simplest finger blood test. Early diagnosis makes it possible to save the patient's life. Therefore, it is important to check the blood composition at least once a year for preventive purposes.
Leukemia or blood cancer?
Violation of the process of dividing blood cells, their further functioning may be a sign of a cancerous process in the blood. Pathology includes a large group of varieties of the disease. The name "blood cancer" is common to all.
If oncology affects the area of the bone marrow, and as a result produces malignant cells, then such a disorder is called leukemia.
If the process occurs outside the bone marrow tissue, then such pathologies are called hematosarcoma.
Preparation before the fence
The blood state in the form of quantitative and qualitative representation of the cells reacts to the increased stresses, the effects from the diagnostic equipment, recently taken food, stress. Therefore, to determine the leukemia for blood analysis, before the analysis is a simple preparation:
- Blood sampling is more often done in the morning, the break between meals should be from eight hours or more. For a general analysis, six hours are allowed. You can drink water.
- If the patient is taking medication, it is advisable to take a two-week break before the procedure. If this condition is difficult to fulfill, it is necessary at least to warn the doctor about what preparations are being taken.
- In the case of other studies using instruments or with the help of tools, it is recommended that a pause be performed for a couple of days before the blood test.
- Do not take fatty foods two days before the examination.
- Before the procedure, spend at least thirty minutes in a restful state.
- Smokers should not smoke for an hour before the procedure.
Diagnostic methods
The most common and traditional blood test, called total or clinical, is able to determine leukemia. Therefore, the disease is often found during the prophylactic examination.
Anemia syndrome
Occurs if a blood test reports an insufficient amount of hemoglobin. The same name is suitable for cases when there is a shortage of red blood cells.
Failure manifests itself in the state of health and external symptoms:
- loss of strength,
- hair loss,
- skin looks pale,
- dyspnea,
- distorted sense of taste,
- nails take a spoon-like shape,
- in the ears ringing sound,
- frequent dizziness,
- irritability,
- is a heartbeat that appears when loaded, even if it is small.
Changing platelet count
These cells are responsible for preventing bleeding. When traumatizing tissues, surgical interventions and other cases, blood is clotted by platelets, protecting the body from blood loss.
The normal number of these cells is 150 ÷ 350 thousand in one μl.
The deviation of the platelet count from normal upwards is called thrombocytosis. If the decrease in the number of platelets - thrombocytopenia. It is dangerous when the number decreases to 20 thousand in one μl, bleeding occurs.
Thrombocytopenia can develop with hepatitis, lupus erythematosus, acute leukemia and a number of other pathologies. Thrombocytosis accompanies erythremia, pancreatic cancer, happens after surgery.
Changing the number of leukocytes
Cells that ensure that no harmful viruses enter the bloodstream and the bacteria are called leukocytes.
Deviations in the number of leukocytes always happens as a consequence of certain pathologies. Lymphocytes can change their number due to all varieties or parts of them.
There may be cases when the total number of leukocyte cells does not change, and changes occur in the ratio of the leukocyte species. They are divided into two groups:
- agranulocytes:
- monocytes,
- lymphocytes;
- granulocytes:
- eosinophils,
- neutrophils,
- basophils.
General blood test for leukemia and its indices
The fact that the patient is bold with leukemia is indicated by the indicators:
- Increased ESR.
- Change in the quantitative presence of leukocytes. It can be noticeably understated, or significantly increased - it depends on the form and extent of the disease. Leukocytosis is indicated by a significant increase in cells. Leukopenia can signal that there is an acute form of a leukemia variety - monoblast. Fluctuations in the indications of the number of leukocytes are characteristic for this pathology. It is especially observed in patients of childhood.
- Anisocytosis occurs - leukocyte cells are present in blood of different sizes.
- Low platelet count. And at the initial stage, normal content is possible. With the development of pathology, thrombocytopenia is aggravated, and the presence of cells drops to 15 g / l.
- Reduced number of red blood cells. With the development of pathology, the value of the number of erythrocytes can be 1.5 ÷ 1.0 x 102 liters. These elements are designed to provide intracellular respiration. They transport oxygen and utilize carbon dioxide.
- Reduction in the presence of up to thirty percent is observed in reticulocytes. These cells are precursors of erythrocytes.
- Anemia does not appear immediately. At an early stage, it may not be observed. Later, its signs appear, which eventually worsen. The indicator of hemoglobin can drop to a value of half the norm and even up to 20 g / l. For a specialist, this is important information, especially if there are no other causes for anemia( eg, blood loss).
- There are no variants of leukocytes in the blood: basophils, eosinophils.
Analysis for different ages of patients is carried out on the same principle. Acute leukemia in children is more common lymphoblastic, and in adults, myeloblastic. Chronic leukemia is a disease mainly of the adult population.
Biochemical
The fact that the patient has leukemia is indicated by such a picture of the blood:
- values are less than the norm:
- albumin,
- glucose,
- fibrinogen;
- increased activity:
- of urea level,
- AST,
- of bilirubin,
- of LDH,
- of uric acid,
- of gamma globulins.
In acute leukemia, analysis helps to determine to which germ of hematopoiesis blast cells.
Thus, acute myeloid leukemia can be caused by cell leukemia damage, which refers to the hemopoiesis line:
- B-lymphocyte,
- or T-lymphocyte.
The accuracy of the diagnosis influences the correct choice of therapeutic measures. Diagnosis of leukemia by analysis of blood in children and adults has no significant differences.
Difference of acute leukemia from chronic( according to indices)
Analysis of blood composition in acute phase of leukemia reveals such signs:
- Increased content of immature lymphocyte cells. Blast cells, depending on the variety of diseased cells, can be represented by erythroblasts, myeloblasts, and lymphoblasts. They constitute an absolute majority in front of other elements.
- The acute form is characterized by leukemia failure of - prevalence in blast cells and almost complete absence of intermediate forms of leukocytes.
- Other cell types have an underestimated amount.
If the patient has chronic leukemia, then there are such indicators in the blood test:
- The level of leukocytes is increased due to mature granular forms. These elements are found in the spleen, liver, blood, lymph nodes. Blatnye cells, if present, in a small amount.
- The number of other types of cells is understated.
How often should I be examined?
Blood testing for clinical analysis of should be performed at least once a year .If there are concerns that leukemia is possible, it is recommended to take the test twice a year.
Such attention to one's health should be shown to people:
- who have oncological patients among relatives,
- to personnel working with equipment that gives ionizing radiation;
- if professional activity creates the need for contact with harmful chemicals.