Since symptoms of leukemia are not very obvious, your doctor may identify it in a routine blood test even before symptoms appear. If your body shows symptoms of leukemia your doctor may recommend the following for a complete diagnosis:
- Physical exam: The first step that your doctor may take is to physically examine your body for other signs of leukemia like swollen lymph nodes, enlarged spleen, persistent fever, etc. as we mentioned earlier.
- Blood test: As a next step, he may recommend a blood test to diagnose leukemia. It can help you figure out whether you have an abnormal number of blood cells like RBCs, WBCs, and platelets in your body.
- Bone marrow test: If the blood test shows signs of leukemia, you may have to undergo a bone marrow biopsy. The biopsy is done using a long thin needle. The doctor will insert the needle in your bone marrow located in the hip bone to take out a sample. The sample will be sent to the laboratory for further examination. Based on the results of the examination, the type of leukemia will be diagnosed and your doctor will recommend the type of treatment.