How long does it take to be diagnosed with Leukemia?
From the first time you have tests done, how long does it usually take for the results to come in?
- George G
I would guess between 2 and 3 weeks along with more follow-up testing to make sure. Good luck !
- travelingkitkat
You can get results within a day. The first test would be a routine CBC - complete blood count - and if you have leukemia your white cell count is either really high or really low. This test doesn't take very long - maybe about half an hour to come through. This would arouse doctors' suspicions so then they would probably refer you to a hematologist/oncologist. If they're worried, they'll schedule you an appointment that day. You'll have another CBC, and they will also look at the specific white cells (percentage-wise) to see if there are any that are proportionately out of whack. They may look at the cells under a microscope to check for abnormalities, and then do a coag panel to see how well you can clot (as leukemia can cause your platelet count to mess up). The doctor can give you a pretty good idea, but you'll need a bone marrow aspiration to confirm your diagnosis - and they will schedule you in ASAP. I'm not sure how long this takes, but again, they will just look under a microscope, so you should have results in an hour or two.
In short, depending on when you can get an appointment, 1 day to maybe a week. If the doctor is suspicious, they'll try to get you in as soon as possible.
Edit: If you go in for a doctor's appointment and you get a routine CBC, they probably won't have the results right away because they won't suspect them, so you'd probably get called in a day or two if things look strange.
Leukemia — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes, risk factors, treatment of this blood-related cancer.
Orignal From: How long does it take to be diagnosed with Leukemia?
No comments:
Post a Comment