With a white blood cell count in that range, staging in CLL isn't determined by white cell count alone. The Rai staging system (commonly used in the US) looks at several factors together to determine stage. Here's a quick breakdown of what doctors look at:
- Lymphocyte levels in the blood
- Swelling of lymph nodes, spleen Show Full Answer
With a white blood cell count in that range, staging in CLL isn't determined by white cell count alone. The Rai staging system (commonly used in the US) looks at several factors together to determine stage. Here's a quick breakdown of what doctors look at:
- Lymphocyte levels in the blood
- Swelling of lymph nodes, spleen, or liver
- Red blood cell counts (checking for anemia)
- Platelet counts
Based on these factors, the five Rai stages range from Stage 0 (low risk) to Stage 4 (high risk). Being on "watch and wait" without medication is actually very common, especially in earlier stages. One MyLeukemiaTeam member shared they were on watch and wait for nine years after being diagnosed in their 50s.
The best way to know the exact stage is to ask the oncologist directly — they'll have the full picture from blood work, physical exams, and any imaging done.
May 12
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