Leukemia Prevention

WellStar supports scientific research that shows certain lifestyle choices can lower a person's risk of some cancers. Many patients with leukemia had no risk factors for developing the illness, but it is still important to do all that you can to reduce your risk factors for all cancers. We have also linked cigarette smoking to numerous cancers, including leukemia. WellStar endeavors to help patients who want to stop smoking through a variety of smoking cessation efforts.

Tests and Screenings for Leukemia

As with many cancers, there is no screening test for leukemia. If you exhibit symptoms of leukemia, such as extreme fatigue, frequent infections, easy bruising, and excessive bleeding, your WellStar physician will want to perform blood tests to determine whether you may have leukemia. A blood test can show whether you have leukemic cells. In addition, your WellStar physician may want to examine tissue from your bone marrow. To do that, a long needle will be inserted into your bone, usually at the hip, to extract marrow. Because there are many different subtypes of leukemia, this bone marrow aspiration will also help determine what kind of leukemia you have and what kind of treatment you are most likely to respond to.