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Your blood contains red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets. Blood count tests measure the number and types of cells in your blood. This helps doctors check on your overall health. The tests can also help to diagnose diseases and conditions such as anemia, infections, clotting problems, blood cancers, and immune system disorders.

Specific types include tests for:

• RBC - the numbers, size, and types of RBC in the blood
• WBC - the numbers and types of WBC in the blood
• Platelets - the numbers and size of the platelets
• Hemoglobin - an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen
• Hematocrit - how much space red blood cells take up in your blood
• Reticulocyte count - how many young red blood cells are in your blood
• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) - the average size of your red blood cells

The complete blood count (CBC) includes most or all of these. The CBC is one of the most common blood tests.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:

• White blood cells help your body fight infection
• Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs
• Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding

When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a type of acute leukemia. It's also called ALL and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. "Acute" means that it usually gets worse quickly if it's not treated. ALL is the most common type of cancer in children. It can also affect adults.

In ALL, the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These cells normally help your body fight infection. But in ALL, they are abnormal and cannot fight infection very well. They also crowd out the healthy cells, which can lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding. These abnormal cells can also spread to other parts of the body, including the brain and spinal cord.

ALL happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA) in bone marrow cells. The cause of these genetic changes is unknown. However, there are certain factors that raise your risk of ALL.

The factors that raise your risk of ALL include:

• Being male
• Being white
• Being over age 70
• Having had chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Having been exposed to high levels of radiation
• Having certain genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome

The signs and symptoms of ALL include:

• Weakness or feeling tired
• Fever or night sweats
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Petechiae, which are tiny red dots under the skin. They are caused by bleeding.
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss or loss of appetite
• Pain in the bones or stomach
• Pain or feeling of fullness below the ribs
• Swollen lymph nodes - you may notice them as painless lumps in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin
• Having had many infections

Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose ALL and figure out which subtype you have:

• A physical exam
• A medical history
• Blood tests, such as
  • Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
  • Blood chemistry tests such as a basic metabolic panel (BMP), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), kidney function tests, liver function tests, and electrolyte panel
  • Blood smear
• Bone marrow tests. There are two main types - bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. Both tests involve removing a sample of bone marrow and bone. The samples are sent to a lab for testing.
• Genetic tests to look for gene and chromosome changes

If you are diagnosed with ALL, you may have additional tests to see whether the cancer has spread. These include imaging tests and a lumbar puncture, which is a procedure to collect and test cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Treatments for ALL include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells

Treatment is usually done in two phases:

• The goal of the first phase is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow. This treatment puts the leukemia into remission. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or have disappeared.
• The second phase is known as post-remission therapy. Its goal is to prevent a relapse (return) of the cancer. It involves killing any remaining leukemia cells that may not be active but could begin to regrow.

Treatment during both phases also usually includes central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis therapy. This therapy helps prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord. It may be high dose chemotherapy or chemotherapy injected into the spinal cord. It also sometimes includes radiation therapy.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:

• White blood cells help your body fight infection
• Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs
• Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding

When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of acute leukemia. "Acute" means that the leukemia usually gets worse quickly if it's not treated. In AML, the bone marrow makes abnormal myeloblasts (a type of white blood cell), red blood cells, or platelets. When the abnormal cells crowd out the healthy cells, it can lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding. The abnormal cells can also spread outside the blood to other parts of the body.

There are several different subtypes of AML. The subtypes are based on how developed the cancer cells are when you get your diagnosis and how different they are from normal cells.

AML happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA) in bone marrow cells. The cause of these genetic changes is unknown. However, there are certain factors that raise your risk of AML.

The factors that raise your risk of AML include:

• Being male
• Smoking, especially after age 60
• Having had chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as a child
• Exposure to the chemical benzene
• A history of another blood disorder such as myelodysplastic syndrome

The signs and symptoms of AML include:

• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Petechiae, which are tiny red dots under the skin. They are caused by bleeding.
• Weakness or feeling tired
• Weight loss or loss of appetite
• Bone or joint pain, if the abnormal cells build up near or inside the bones

Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose AML and figure out which subtype you have:

• A physical exam
• A medical history
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and blood smear
• Bone marrow tests. There are two main types - bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. Both tests involve removing a sample of bone marrow and bone. The samples are sent to a lab for testing.
• Genetic tests to look for gene and chromosome changes

If you are diagnosed with AML, you may have additional tests to see whether the cancer has spread. These include imaging tests and a lumbar puncture, which is a procedure to collect and test cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Treatments for AML include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
• Other anticancer medicines

Which treatment you get often depends on which subtype of AML you have. Treatment is usually done in two phases:

• The goal of the first phase is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow. This puts the leukemia into remission. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or have disappeared.
• The second phase is known as post-remission therapy. Its goal is to prevent a relapse (return) of the cancer. It involves killing any remaining leukemia cells that may not be active but could begin to regrow.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

If you have anemia, your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body. The most common cause of anemia is not having enough iron. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives the red color to blood. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Anemia has three main causes: blood loss, lack of red blood cell production, and high rates of red blood cell destruction.

Conditions that may lead to anemia include:

• Heavy periods
• Pregnancy
• Ulcers
• Colon polyps or colon cancer
• Inherited disorders
• A diet that does not have enough iron, folic acid or vitamin B12
• Blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, or cancer
• Aplastic anemia, a condition that can be inherited or acquired
• G6PD deficiency, a metabolic disorder

Anemia can make you feel tired, cold, dizzy, and irritable. You may be short of breath or have a headache.

Your doctor will diagnose anemia with a physical exam and blood tests. Treatment depends on the kind of anemia you have.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious blood disorder. If you have it, your bone marrow doesn't make enough new blood cells. It happens when there is damage to stem cells inside your bone marrow. There are different types of aplastic anemia, including Fanconi anemia.

The causes of aplastic anemia can include:

• Autoimmune disorders, which are the most common cause
• Certain inherited gene changes, such as the one that can cause Fanconi anemia
• Toxic substances, such as pesticides, arsenic, and benzene
• Radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer
• Certain medicines
• Viral infections such as hepatitis, Epstein-Barr virus, or HIV
• Pregnancy

In many people, the cause is unknown. This is called idiopathic aplastic anemia.

Aplastic anemia can develop suddenly or slowly. It can be mild or severe. The symptoms of aplastic anemia can include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Easy bruising or bleeding

Aplastic anemia can cause other problems, including frequent infections and bleeding. It raises your risk of developing a serious blood disorder.

If not treated, aplastic anemia can also lead to heart problems such as an arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat), an enlarged heart, or heart failure.

To find out if you have aplastic anemia, your doctor will:

• Take your medical and your family medical histories
• Do a physical exam
• Order tests, such as tests to check if you have low numbers of cells in your bone marrow and blood

If you have aplastic anemia, your doctor will create a treatment plan for you. The plan will be based on how severe the anemia is and what is causing it. Treatments can include:

• Blood transfusions
• Blood and marrow stem cell transplants
• Medicines to suppress your immune system

Because of the risk of blood disorders, your doctor will monitor your condition and screen you for blood disorders regularly.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Your blood is living tissue made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made of water, salts and protein. Over half of your blood is plasma. The solid part of your blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Blood disorders affect one or more parts of the blood and prevent your blood from doing its job. They can be acute or chronic. Many blood disorders are inherited. Other causes include other diseases, side effects of medicines, and a lack of certain nutrients in your diet.

Types of blood disorders include:

• Platelet disorders, excessive clotting, and bleeding problems, which affect how your blood clots
• Anemia, which happens when your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body
• Cancers of the blood, such as leukemia and myeloma
• Eosinophilic disorders, which are problems with one type of white blood cell.

Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:

• White blood cells help your body fight infection
• Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs
• Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding

When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.

There are different types of leukemia. Some types are acute (fast growing). They usually get worse quickly if they are not treated. Most childhood leukemias are acute:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), which is the most common type of leukemia in children and the most common cancer in children. In ALL, the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which happens when bone marrow makes abnormal myeloblasts (a type of white blood cell), red blood cells, or platelets.

Other types of leukemia are chronic (slow growing). They usually get worse over a longer period of time. They are rare in children:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), in which the bone marrow makes abnormal lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). It is more common in teens than children.
• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), in which the bone marrow makes abnormal granulocytes (a type of white blood cell). It is very rare in children.

There are some other rare types of leukemia in children, including juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML).

Leukemia happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA) in bone marrow cells. The cause of these genetic changes is unknown. However, there are certain factors that raise the risk of childhood leukemia.

The factors that raise the risk of childhood leukemia include:

• Having a brother or sister, especially a twin, with leukemia
• Past treatment with chemotherapy
• Exposure to radiation, including radiation therapy
• Having certain genetic conditions, such as
  • Ataxia telangiectasia
  • Down syndrome
  • Fanconi anemia
  • Li-Fraumeni syndrome
  • Neurofibromatosis type 1

There are other factors that may raise the risk of getting one or more of the specific types of childhood leukemia.

Some of the symptoms of leukemia may include:

• Feeling tired
• Fever or night sweats
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Weight loss or loss of appetite
• Petechiae, which are tiny red dots under the skin. They are caused by bleeding.

Other leukemia symptoms can be different from type to type. Chronic leukemia may not cause symptoms at first.

Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose leukemia:

• A physical exam
• A medical history
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC)
• Bone marrow tests. There are two main types - bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. Both tests involve removing a sample of bone marrow and bone. The samples are sent to a lab for testing.
• Genetic tests to look for gene and chromosome changes

Once there is a diagnosis of leukemia, other tests may be done to see whether the cancer has spread. These include imaging tests and a lumbar puncture, which is a procedure to collect and test cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

The treatments for leukemia depend on which type it is, how severe the leukemia is, the child's age, and other factors. Possible treatments might include:

• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells

Treatment for childhood leukemia is often successful. But the treatments can cause complications right away or later in life. Children who survived leukemia will need follow-up care the rest of their lives to watch for and treat any complications they may have.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:

• White blood cells help your body fight infection
• Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs
• Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding

When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a type of chronic leukemia. "Chronic" means that the leukemia usually gets worse slowly. In CLL, the bone marrow makes abnormal lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). When the abnormal cells crowd out the healthy cells, it can lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding. The abnormal cells can also spread outside the blood to other parts of the body. CLL is one of the most common types of leukemia in adults. It often occurs during or after middle age. It is rare in children.

CLL happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA) in bone marrow cells. The cause of these genetic changes is unknown, so it's hard to predict who might get CLL. There are a few factors that might raise your risk.

It is hard to predict who will get CLL. There are a few factors that could raise your risk:

• Age - your risk goes up as you get older. Most people who are diagnosed with CLL are over 50.
• Family history of CLL and other blood and bone marrow diseases
• Racial/ethnic group - CLL is more common in whites than in people from other racial or ethnic groups
• Exposure to certain chemicals, including Agent Orange, a chemical that was used in the Vietnam War

In the beginning, CLL does not cause any symptoms. Later, you can have symptoms such as:

• Swollen lymph nodes - you may notice them as painless lumps in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin
• Weakness or feeling tired
• Pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs
• Fever and infection
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Petechiae, which are tiny red dots under the skin. They are caused by bleeding.
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Drenching night sweats

Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose CLL:

• A physical exam
• A medical history
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) with differential and blood chemistry tests. Blood chemistry tests measure different substances in the blood, including electrolytes, fats, proteins, glucose (sugar), and enzymes. Specific blood chemistry tests include a basic metabolic panel (BMP), a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), kidney function tests, liver function tests, and an electrolyte panel.
• Flow cytometry tests, which check for leukemia cells and identify which type of leukemia it is. The tests can be done on blood, bone marrow, or other tissue.
• Genetic tests to look for gene and chromosome changes

If you are diagnosed with CLL, you may have additional tests to see whether the cancer has spread. These include imaging tests and bone marrow tests.

Treatments for CLL include:

• Watchful waiting, which means that you don't get treatment right away. Your health care provider regularly checks to see if your signs or symptoms appear or change.
• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells.
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy with bone marrow or stem cell transplant

The goals of treatment are to slow the growth of the leukemia cells and to give you long periods of remission. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or have disappeared. The CLL may come back after remission, and you may need more treatment.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:

• White blood cells help your body fight infection
• Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs
• Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding

When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of chronic leukemia. "Chronic" means that the leukemia usually gets worse slowly. In CML, the bone marrow makes abnormal granulocytes (a type of white blood cell). These abnormal cells are also called blasts. When the abnormal cells crowd out the healthy cells, it can lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding. The abnormal cells can also spread outside the blood to other parts of the body.

CML usually occurs in adults during or after middle age. It is rare in children.

Most people with CML have a genetic change called the Philadelphia chromosome. It's called that because researchers in Philadelphia discovered it. People normally have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell. These chromosomes contain your DNA (genetic material). In CML, part of the DNA from one chromosome moves to another chromosome. It combines with some DNA there, which creates a new gene called BCR-ABL. This gene causes your bone marrow to make an abnormal protein. This protein allows the leukemia cells to grow out of control.

The Philadelphia chromosome isn't passed from parent to child. It happens during your lifetime. The cause is unknown.

It is hard to predict who will get CML. There are a few factors that could raise your risk:

• Age - your risk goes up as you get older
• Gender - CML is slightly more common in men
• Exposure to high-dose radiation

Sometimes CML does not cause symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they can include:

• Feeling very tired
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Drenching night sweats
• Fever
• Pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs on the left side

Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose CML:

• A physical exam
• A medical history
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) with differential and blood chemistry tests. Blood chemistry tests measure different substances in the blood, including electrolytes, fats, proteins, glucose (sugar), and enzymes. Specific blood chemistry tests include a basic metabolic panel (BMP), a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), kidney function tests, liver function tests, and an electrolyte panel.
• Bone marrow tests. There are two main types - bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. Both tests involve removing a sample of bone marrow and bone. The samples are sent to a lab for testing.
• Genetic tests to look for gene and chromosome changes, including tests to look for the Philadelphia chromosome

If you are diagnosed with CML, you may have additional tests such as imaging tests to see whether the cancer has spread.

CML has three phases. The phases are based on how much the CML has grown or spread:

• Chronic phase, where less than 10% of cells in the blood and bone marrow are blast cells (leukemia cells). Most people are diagnosed in this phase, and many do not have symptoms. Standard treatment usually helps in this phase.
• Accelerated phase, 10% to 19% of the cells in the blood and bone marrow are blast cells. In this phase, people often have symptoms and standard treatment may not be as effective as in the chronic phase.
• Blastic phase, where 20% or more of the cells in the blood or bone marrow are blast cells. The blast cells have spread to other tissues and organs. If you have tiredness, fever, and an enlarged spleen during the blastic phase, it is called a blast crisis. This phase is harder to treat.

There are several different treatments for CML:

• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells. For CML, the drugs are tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). They block tyrosine kinase, which is an enzyme that causes your bone marrow to make too many blasts.
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
• Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). DLI is a treatment that may be used after a stem cell transplant. It involves giving you an infusion (into your bloodstream) of healthy lymphocytes from the stem cell transplant donor. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell. These donor lymphocytes may kill the remaining cancer cells.
• Surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)

Which treatments you get will depend on which phase you are in, your age, your overall health, and other factors. When the signs and symptoms of CML are reduced or have disappeared, it is called remission. The CML may come back after remission, and you may need more treatment.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they're easier to treat. You can get some screenings in your doctor's office. Others need special equipment, so you may need to go to a different office or clinic.

Some conditions that doctors commonly screen for include:

• Breast cancer and cervical cancer in women
• Colorectal cancer
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Osteoporosis
• Overweight and obesity
• Prostate cancer in men

Which tests you need depends on your age, your sex, your family history, and whether you have risk factors for certain diseases. After a screening test, ask when you will get the results and whom to talk to about them.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality