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See Your Doctor if You Have |
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Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, under the arm, in the groin
Abdominal pain
Bruises at sites of minor injury
Lack of appetite
Feeling tired all the time
Bleeding easily
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Medical Evaluation
After you describe your symptoms, the doctor will do a full physical examination and look for organ enlargement. The doctor will feel the abdomen for an enlarged spleen and liver. The lymph nodes in the neck, under the arms and in the groin will be checked as well since they can be enlarged and tender in leukemia as well as in lymphoma.
The diagnosis of leukemia is confirmed by examination of the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Additional imaging studies and more lab tests are necessary to determine if leukemia has formed tumors in organs outside of the bone marrow. A spinal tap is done to sample fluid around the nervous system to see if leukemia has spread to the brain or spinal cord. Imaging studies, such as chest and abdominal X-rays, CT scan, MRI and bone scan are often done as well.
More on Leukemia How Leukemia Is Diagnosed
Shortening the Wait for Imaging Results
In the Encyclopedia: Leukemias, acute
Alemtuzumab
Beta2-microglobulin test
Bone marrow transplantation
Leukemias, chronic
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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