Question
A friend’s child has been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We want to know what symptoms this disease may present?
Answer
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia may not show obvious symptoms in the early stages and is often discovered during routine blood tests. The main characteristic is a significant increase in white blood cell count, particularly mature lymphocytes. The spleen may swell, but it usually does not reach an enormous size. It’s worth noting that chronic lymphocytic leukemia is very rare in children. Before a diagnosis is confirmed, it is important to rule out the possibility of infectious mononucleosis or physiological lymphocytosis.