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There are few, if any, symptoms| of CML to begin with. This means that it’s quite common for people with CML to be diagnosed by chance when they have a blood test for some other reason. The blood test shows a high number of white blood cells.
If your GP suspects you may have CML, they will refer you to a haematologist at the local hospital for specialist advice and treatment|.
A haematologist is a doctor who specialises in the treatment of blood problems.The haematologist will examine you and ask about your general health and any illnesses you’ve had. They will also take blood samples to check the numbers of cells in your blood (a full blood count) and to look for leukaemia cells. If the blood test finds any leukaemia cells, the doctor will want to take a sample of your bone marrow. This will give them information to help plan your treatment.
In this test a small sample of bone marrow is taken from the back of the hip bone (pelvis). The sample is examined under a microscope to see if it contains any leukaemia cells.
You may be offered a sedative before the test to reduce any pain or discomfort. The bone marrow sample is normally taken under a local anaesthetic. The doctor injects some local anaesthetic into the skin and around the bone to numb it. They then pass a biopsy needle through the skin into your bone. A small sample of liquid marrow (bone marrow aspirate) is drawn into a syringe to be looked at later under a microscope. The doctor then uses a different needle to take a small core of marrow from inside your bone (a trephine biopsy).
The test can be done on the ward or in the outpatients department, and takes about 15-20 minutes. When the liquid marrow is drawn into the syringe you may feel some discomfort, but this only lasts a few seconds.
A sample of bone marrow is usually taken from the back of the hip bone
You may have additional tests including:
A chest x-ray, which is taken to check that your heart and lungs are healthy.
A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test. This is a blood test that measures Bcr-Abl transcripts, special molecules made by the abnormal Bcr-Abl gene usually present in CML. It’s a very sensitive test and can detect tiny amounts of leukaemia that can be missed by other tests. It’s used for measuring low levels of leukaemia after treatment begins.
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