People with CLL may have
very high white blood cell counts because of excess numbers of lymphocytes
(lymphocytosis), but the leukemia cells don’t fight infection the way normal white blood cells do.
What is considered a high WBC for CLL?
Takeaway Points: To diagnose chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), there needs to be
≥5000 monoclonal (genetically identical)
B-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the blood for the duration of at least three months.
What level of WBC indicates leukemia?
At the time of diagnosis, patients can have very, very high white blood cell counts. Typically a healthy person has a white blood cell count of about 4,000-11,000. Patients with acute or even chronic leukemia may come in with a white blood cell count up into the
100,000-400,000 range
.
What labs are abnormal with CLL?
The process of diagnosing CLL usually begins with a routine blood test called a
complete blood count (CBC)
. A CBC measures the number of different types of cells in a sample of a person’s blood. A person may have CLL if the blood contains too many white blood cells. This result is called a high white blood cell count.
How do I know if my CLL is getting worse?
Extreme tiredness
Another symptom of CLL progression is
extreme fatigue and shortness of breath
while doing your normal day-to-day activities. This is due to fewer healthy red blood cells and more cancer cells accumulating in your body.
When should I worry about high lymphocytes?
High lymphocyte blood levels indicate your body is dealing with an
infection or other inflammatory condition
. Most often, a temporarily high lymphocyte count is a normal effect of your body’s immune system working. Sometimes, lymphocyte levels are elevated because of a serious condition, like leukemia.
Does CLL ever go into remission?
CLL is
considered to be in complete remission
(CR) if your blood tests no longer show the presence of CLL and you don’t have symptoms such as swelling in your lymph nodes or spleen. CLL is considered to be in partial remission (PR) if you’re symptom-free, but some amount of CLL remains in your blood.
What would a CBC look like with leukemia?
Complete blood count (CBC): This blood test gives details about red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. If you have leukemia you will
have lower than normal counts of red blood cells and platelets
, and higher than normal counts of white blood cells.
Is WBC 13.6 High?
A: For an adult, a healthy WBC count is considered to be
between 4,000 and 11,000
WBCs per microliter of blood. This is on average – some healthy individuals may have a higher or lower count.
What lab values indicate leukemia?
How Is Leukemia Treated? Your doctor will conduct
a complete blood count (CBC)
to determine if you have leukemia. This test may reveal if you have leukemic cells. Abnormal levels of white blood cells and abnormally low red blood cell or platelet counts can also indicate leukemia.
Can a CLL diagnosis be wrong?
Physicians often fail to diagnose chronic leukemia
, as it often shows no symptoms until the disease has begun to progress. Many of the symptoms of leukemia may also be symptoms of other illnesses, which results in a high number of misdiagnoses.
Where does leukemia rash appear?
Leukemia cutis appears as red or purplish red, and it occasionally looks dark red or brown. It affects the outer skin layer, the inner skin layer, and the layer of tissue beneath the skin. The rash can involve flushed skin, plaques, and scaly lesions. It most commonly appears
on the trunk, arms, and legs
.
Do smudge cells always mean CLL?
While
smudge cells are not diagnostic of CLL
, it has been shown that, in newly diagnosed CLL, a larger percentage of smudge cells is a better prognostic factor. Patients with >30% smudge cells show longer times before requiring treatment and longer survival rates than patients with fewer smudge cells.
Can you live 20 years with CLL?
People
can live with CLL for many years after diagnosis
, and some can live for years without the need for treatment.
What does CLL fatigue feel like?
In general, the fatigue associated with CLL tends to: make it difficult or impossible to do what you used to do in a day. make you
feel weak and completely out of energy
. not go away even if you are getting enough sleep.
What does CLL bone pain feel like?
You might also feel it in the ribs and sternum of the rib cage. After bone pain begins, you may also feel
joint pain and swelling of large joints
— like the shoulders and hips. Depending on the area, when asked what does leukemia pain feel like in the bone, many patients mention a sharp pain or a constant dull ache.
