The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history and
perform a physical exam. He or she will check for swelling of
the liver, spleen, or lymph nodes in the armpits, groin, and
neck. Tests may include: Blood Tests —to check for leukemia
cells in the blood. Another blood test may be done to assess for
the presence of specific genes associated with leukemia. Bone
Marrow Aspiration —removal of a sample of liquid bone marrow to
test for cancer cells Bone Marrow Biopsy —removal of liquid bone
marrow and a small piece of bone to test for cancer cells If the
biopsy shows leukemia cells, additional tests may be ordered to
determine whether the disease has spread and what systems are
affected. Staging of leukemia depends on the type of leukemia.
Tests may include: Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap) —removal of a
small amount of fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
to test for cancer cells Chest X-rays —films of the chest that
may detect signs of cancer in the chest Acute leukemias are
aggressive from the