Patient's question:
My friend recently went to the hospital for a complete blood count test and found that their white blood cell count was 18,000. They also had a fever, so they were very worried. Now, they want to know if a white blood cell count of 18,000 means leukemia.Doctor's answer:
Generally speaking, if the white blood cell count is 18,000 when looking at a simple blood test, this situation is generally not considered to be leukemia, as the possibility of inflammation is relatively high. This is because, in general, leukemia patients have a white blood cell count that is five times higher than the normal value. Generally, leukemia is not just about elevated white blood cells; it also involves a decrease in red blood cells and platelets, as well as an increase in different types of white blood cells. For now, it is only considered that the blood count is slightly elevated. If a person has discomfort, anti-inflammatory treatment should be administered.