CLL Staging
Staging. After a definitive diagnosis, it is essential to properly stage the disease so that the most effective treatment plan can be established. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is staged through any one of a number of tests or combination of tests including:
- Blood Chemistry Studies. A test in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body. An unusual amount of a substance can be a sign of disease in the organ or tissue that produces it.
- Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy. A small piece of bone and bone marrow are removed from the hipbone or breastbone through a needle. A pathologist views both the bone and bone marrow samples under a microscope to look for abnormal cells.
- Antiglobulin Test. A test in which a sample of blood is studied under a microscope to see if there are any antibodies on the surface of red blood cells or platelets. These antibodies may react with and destroy the red blood cells and platelets. This test is also called a Coomb's test.
Other tests that offer detailed pictures of internal structures, such as a chest x-ray, MRI or CT scan, may also be performed.
The stages of CLL:
- Stage 0. There are too many lymphocytes in the blood, but there are no other symptoms of leukemia.
- Stage I. There are too many lymphocytes in the blood and the lymph nodes are larger than normal.
- Stage II. There are too many lymphocytes in the blood, the liver or spleen is larger than normal, and the lymph nodes may be larger than normal.
- Stage III. There are too many lymphocytes in the blood and there are too few red blood cells. The lymph nodes, liver or spleen may be larger than normal.
- Stage IV. There are too many lymphocytes in the blood and too few platelets. The lymph nodes, liver, or spleen may be larger than normal and there may be too few red blood cells.
To schedule a consult with our team of oncologists, simply ask your primary care physician for a referral or make a self-referral by calling 1-877-LACKS-MI or 616-752-LACK(S).
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