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Could this be leukemia?

I’ve been feeling ill for the past couple months. Swollen lymph nodes, occasional fevers, bone pain, stomach bloating, headaches...the works pretty much.

My CBC results show a 5.9 WBC, but in the span of 2 weeks my blood work has changed as follows:

Neutrophils from 53.5 dropped to 42.4.
Mono from 7.9 up to 10.2
Baso from 0.6 up to 1.7
Immature G% from 0.1 to 1.4
Platelets from 334 to 269
6 Responses
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1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
It's not possible for them to rule out autoimmunity from a few blood tests, and especially not from an ANA test alone. There is also autoinflammatory and chronic inflammatory and so on. The immune system is not near to being thoroughly understood.

Good luck tomorrow.
Helpful - 0
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Overall, it's not looking like cancer. The new doc might want an ultrasound of the biggest node(s), and/or a CT of the abdomen to look for deep nodes inside. With that ruled out, next up is probably looking for:
-strangely behaving infections like Lyme
-mystery immune system conditions

Anyway, those are my best guesses. I don't think you'll get any kind of terrible news, but then it might take a while to investigate so things can be frustrating. Please let me know what you find out on the 7th. Good luck.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
During the blood testing the tested me for Lyme and auto immune disorders and they also were negative, which is why I started to worry more.

Thank you for your responses, I’ll update when I know more.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"Those and the other changes, like the IG%."
Since the neutrophils were low, the body rushes into production new replacements. They get released before being quite ready, so they are immature. Granulocytes = neutrophils in this instance.

"They have been doing mostly blood tests"
Probably to track the changes, with the possibility that things would just go back to normal on their own.

"I had finger prick slides done"
To see if the blood cells look funny.

"The low back ones I noticed weeks after the other ones."
So probably things didn't start there at that approximate level, internally. But that still is probably linked to the bloating.

"29"
Which generally means cancer is less likely than being older.

"don’t worry about the abnormalities in the CBC."
I'd focus more on what is making the nodes enlarge in separate regions.
Helpful - 0
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"Mono from 7.9 up to 10.2"
Is that the part that's mainly making you think of leukemia?

The immune cells called 'monocytes' can increase like that from a lot of different causes.  
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Those and the other changes, like the IG%. I had finger prick slides done and the pathology returned normal and they said don’t worry about the abnormalities in the CBC.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Well, since you've had repeat CBCs, then I assume your docs are actively involved and would have checked for breast cancer. With that ruled out, we then have to turn to seeing this as 'general lymphadenopathy'.

"...but I also feel some in my right armpit and low back."
If your docs don't know about them, they should be told. Depending on the size and shape, a scan might very well be in order. That doesn't mean that a cancer is likely, only that things should be investigated further.

Did the low back ones (possibly iliac nodes) come first?

Also, what is your age?
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
'generalized lymphadenopathy'
like here: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2016/1201/p896.html
They have been doing mostly blood tests, although for the stomach issues I had an endoscopy and an ultrasound, both with normal results.

I’m 29. No one checked for breast cancer. The low back ones I noticed weeks after the other ones.
I have an appointment with the best doctor in our local system on the 7th so I’m hoping he can help figure out what’s making me sick.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, it's not likely to be a leukemia. It's more likely to be an immune response to some perceived threat - such as a chronic virus.

The leukemia mainly known to occur in swollen nodes (acting like a lymphoma) is CLL/SLL (the middle 'L' is for Lymphocytes). Yet your lymphocyte count is apparently normal.

Are all of your swollen lymph nodes located in one region?
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Mostly in my left armpit and chest, but I also feel some in my right armpit and low back.
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