Diagnosing Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Texas Oncology specialists are equipped to diagnose acute lymphoblastic leukemia and may use the following tests:
Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy
This medical procedure involves extracting and examining a small sample of bone marrow. The collected cells and bone marrow are viewed under a microscope and special tests are performed to distinguish which type of blood cells is cancerous.
Immunophenotyping
This laboratory technique is used to study proteins — also known as antigens — located on the surface or inside of cells. Since some leukemias look similar under microscopes, immunophenotyping helps tell them apart based on their markers (ID tags). It is especially helpful in diagnosing leukemias like adult ALL.
Cytogenetic analysis
Cytogenetic analysis is a test that examines chromosomes in cancer cells to look for changes, such as mutations, deletions, or rearrangements, that may be responsible for the development or progression of cancer.