Customer question:
What does the blood count for lymphoma look like? Anonymous customer's question
Pharmacist's answer:
The lymphoma diagnosis involves several different diagnostic procedures, of which a blood count (complete blood count or hemogram) is not particularly specific for lymphoma. Still, it may show changes that trigger further investigations.
A blood count usually includes the following parameters:
- The number of white blood cells (leukocytes): lymphoma can affect the number of leukocytes. An increased number of white blood cells, especially lymphocytes, can indicate lymphoma, but this is not a specific sign, as an increase in leukocytes can result from many factors.
- Red blood cell (erythrocyte) count: some types of lymphoma can cause anemia, which can manifest as a reduced number of red blood cells. Anemia is not specific to lymphoma and can occur in various other diseases.
- Platelet count: Lymphoma can also affect the platelet count, which can cause a tendency to bleed or prolong bleeding. This change is not specific to lymphoma either.
It is important to emphasize that these results are only part of the whole picture and are insufficient to diagnose lymphoma. Additional tests such as lymph node biopsy, imaging tests such as CT or PET-CT, and other specialized tests are usually performed to confirm the lymphoma diagnosis. The exact diagnosis of lymphoma and the determination of the type and stage of the disease are usually made with the cooperation of an oncologist and a hematologist based on a combination of clinical, laboratory, and imaging data.
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