Patient's question:
My friend's child is 1 year old and suffers from leukemia. Do they still need a blood test or a bone marrow test?Doctor's answer:
Bone marrow aspiration, also known as bone marrow puncture, is harmless to the body. The puncture site is located on the iliac bone, which is the prominent bone on either side of the pelvis where the waistband of pants is fastened. A needle is used to extract a small amount of bone marrow for examination. Patients are required to undergo bone marrow puncture.(1) It can help confirm the type of leukemia and determine the choice of treatment.
(2) It allows for the observation of treatment efficacy. For leukemia patients who have not yet achieved remission, a bone marrow puncture is typically performed 10–14 days after chemotherapy to assess the response to the previous treatment. This helps doctors determine the next treatment plan and medication selection.