If someone's white blood cell count is a little high,it often causes considerable fear,according to the anecdotal literature.Your doctor may not seem too worried,however.Why such an aggravating response?What if it's leukemia?
It could be a form of leukemia at a very early stage,of course,but it almost certainly isn't.Leukemia is a rare disorder.About 43,000 Americans were estimated to be diagnosed with it in 2010,for example.Even if it is leukemia,it likely isn't a highly dangerous type or acute phase.If it were,you would be so sick,the symptoms would be more prominent.You would need to be hospitalized.Your blood markers would be quite abnormal,not just a little.
What you probably have is a little cold virus or other infection passing through your system.The doctor has likely seen this many times.That's why,in the absence of other indications,there is little urgency.In that typical family practice,there have probably been few leukemia diagnoses in a given year.That's how rare the dread disease is.So don't worry.Follow your doctor's lead.Get a follow up blood test as recommended.You are almost certainly going to be O.K.
According to the most recent calculation,the five year survival rate for leukemia across the board was about 55% as of 2006.It's definitely a major problem for those relatively few who are ultimately diagnosed with it.They need all the treatment and other support they can get.
About 20% of people with leukemia are walking around undiagnosed,the American Cancer Society estimates.It's because they have few if any symptoms yet or the similarity of their symptoms to those of other diseases.
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