When living with CML, keeping an eye on certain blood test results helps you and your care team understand how the disease is behaving and whether treatment is working. Here are the key numbers to watch:
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Blast cells – immature white blood cells; less than 10% means chronic phase, 10–19% is Show Full Answer
When living with CML, keeping an eye on certain blood test results helps you and your care team understand how the disease is behaving and whether treatment is working. Here are the key numbers to watch:
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Blast cells – immature white blood cells; less than 10% means chronic phase, 10–19% is accelerated phase, and 20%+ is blast phase
- White blood cell count – high levels of abnormal white blood cells are a hallmark of CML
- Platelet count – very high or very low counts can signal a worse outlook
- Red blood cell count – low levels (anemia) may indicate higher-risk CML
Other Blood Tests
- Basophil levels – high basophil counts are linked to more blast cells and a less favorable outlook
- Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) – elevated LDH can signal cell damage and may be linked to a higher risk of relapse or resistance to treatment Staying on top of follow-up appointments and routine blood tests is one of the most important things you can do. These numbers together paint a fuller picture of where things stand and help guide any changes to your treatment plan.
May 24
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