How is leukemia diagnosed?

Written by Li Fang Fang

Hematology

Updated on September 22, 2024

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When a routine blood test suggests the possibility of leukemia, further diagnostic tests such as bone marrow aspiration, biopsy, and immunophenotyping are required to confirm the diagnosis. Leukemia can be divided into acute leukemia and chronic leukemia. Acute leukemia includes acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute myeloid leukemia is further categorized into eight types, from M0 to M7. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is divided into three subtypes: L1 to L3. Chronic leukemia can be divided into chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

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The difference between chronic granulocytic leukemia and leukemia

Leukemia is divided into acute leukemia and chronic leukemia. Acute leukemia is further categorized into acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, while chronic leukemia is divided into chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia. Chronic myeloid leukemia, also known as chronic granulocytic leukemia, generally has a better prognosis compared to acute leukemia, with a higher cure rate and longer survival. Among these, chronic granulocytic leukemia has targeted treatment drugs such as imatinib and dasatinib.

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Is leukemia treatment free?

Leukemia is a type of malignant tumor originating from hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells in the myeloid hematopoietic system. Leukemia cells differentiate and organize at the early stages of different myeloid developments, exhibiting the morphological and immunophenotypic characteristics of myeloid development. The incidence of acute myeloid leukemia in the population is 2-4/100,000, with the median age of onset being sixty-four to seventy years, making it a disease of the elderly. The incidence increases with age, accounting for 70% of acute leukemias, and representing 55%-70% of infant, 17%-20% of childhood, and 80%-90% of adult acute leukemias. Regarding the medical insurance situation in China, some leukemia conditions are eligible for major illness assistance. All leukemia treatments can be reimbursed at a certain ratio under the national health insurance, although there is no free treatment for leukemia at present, unless one participates in relevant clinical trials, which could offer some compensation, and certain treatment drugs are provided free of charge.

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Hematology

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How is acute leukemia treated?

The treatment for acute leukemia is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be administered orally or intravenously, and the choice between oral or intravenous chemotherapy depends on the type of acute leukemia. For patients with acute leukemia, if chemotherapy alone can effectively control the disease or achieve a cure, then there is no need for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, if chemotherapy alone cannot control the disease, and the patient is considered at high risk and of suitable age, then allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should be considered.

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Written by Zhang Xiao Le

Hematology

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The difference between chronic granulocytic leukemia and leukemia

Chronic granulocytic leukemia is a type of leukemia, which itself is a group of malignant clonal disorders of hematopoietic stem cells. In leukemia, the leukemic cells exhibit enhanced self-renewal, uncontrolled proliferation, and obstructed apoptosis, causing a halt at various stages of cell development. Leukemia is divided into acute leukemia and chronic leukemia. Acute leukemia includes acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, while chronic leukemia includes chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia. The primary difference between acute and chronic leukemia is that the leukemic cells in acute leukemia mainly stall at the primitive and immature stages, whereas in chronic leukemia, the cells primarily remain at the mid-immature and late-immature stages.

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Written by Li Fang Fang

Hematology

38sec

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Does leukemia cause vomiting?

Leukemia can cause vomiting. There are two reasons why leukemia patients experience vomiting: one is caused by the leukemia itself. If the white blood cell count in leukemia patients abnormally increases to more than 100×10^9/L, this condition is called hyperleukocytosis. In the state of hyperleukocytosis, the body is in a state of ischemia and hypoxia, which can manifest as dizziness, headache, and vomiting in the nervous system. The other reason is that during chemotherapy, the use of chemotherapy drugs can lead to gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea and vomiting.