Read article Further tests for acute myeloid leukaemia
This page has information about further tests you may have if test results show you have acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). There is information on
Further tests for acute myeloid leukaemia
If test results show that you have acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), you will have further tests.
Blood and bone marrow tests
You will probably have more blood tests. You will have more bone marrow tests at various times throughout your treatment and follow up care. Bone marrow tests can help to diagnose the correct type of leukaemia, show how well the leukaemia treatment is working, and check for leukaemia cells after you've finished treatment. There is information about having a bone marrow test in the cancer tests section.
Tissue typing
You will have tissue typing tests if your doctor thinks that a donor bone marrow transplant may be a possible treatment for you. Tissue typing is a set of blood tests that show how closely a possible bone marrow donor’s tissue matches your own.
Finding leukaemia cells left behind after treatment
A small number of leukaemia cells can sometimes be left behind after treatment and doctors call this minimal residual disease or MRD. One type of test for MRD looks for genetic changes in the cells. Another checks for certain proteins made by leukaemia cells.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Diagnosing AML section.
You will probably have more blood tests. If your doctor thinks you have an infection, you will have blood taken for blood cultures. This can show which types of antibiotics are likely to work best for the infection. You will also have blood taken to check that your kidneys and liver are working properly.
You will have more bone marrow tests at various times throughout your treatment and follow up care. Bone marrow tests can help to
- Diagnose the correct type of leukaemia in the first place
- Show how well treatment for the leukaemia is working
- Check for leukaemia cells after you've finished treatment
Checking for leukaemia cells after your treatment is over is called testing for minimal residual disease or MRD. There is information about having a bone marrow test in the cancer tests section.
You will have tissue typing tests if your doctor thinks that a donor bone marrow transplant may be a possible treatment for you. Tissue typing is a set of blood tests that show how closely a possible bone marrow donor’s tissue matches your own. Your white blood cells have proteins called HLA markers on their surface. HLA stands for human leucocyte antigen. If the bone marrow donor's HLA markers are very similar to yours, there is less chance that your immune system will reject their blood cells.
A small number of leukaemia cells may be left behind after treatment and doctors call this minimal residual disease or MRD. Often after chemotherapy for leukaemia, the disease appears to have gone. No leukaemia cells can be seen in your blood and bone marrow samples. Doctors call this remission. But some leukaemia cells are often left behind and then you may need more treatment, such as a transplant.
There are two techniques for finding MRD. One type, called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) looks for genetic changes in the cells. It can find one leukaemia cell among a million normal cells. The other test is called immunophenotyping. It checks for certain proteins made by leukaemia cells. So these tests can help to show how well your chemotherapy has worked and whether you are likely to have a relapse. Relapse is when the leukaemia comes back.
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