Our Patients' Stories
The information that saved Grzegorz
Knowing what to do can save your life.
For the past few weeks, Grzegorz has been complaining of general weakness and intermittent fever. He also noticed palpable, round changes on his neck under the skin. Upon his doctor’s referral, he underwent laboratory tests. In his results, he observed a high level of white blood cells. What should he do since his doctor’s appointment is only next week?
Grzegorz did the right thing and underwent additional tests.
As a result, his doctor diagnosed him with chronic lymphocytic leukemia during the first visit and prescribed the appropriate treatment. This information allowed Grzegorz to start therapy quickly, where every day is crucial.
Expert commentary
Increased leukocyte (white blood cell) count was observed in the morphology, which, in conjunction with symptoms such as persistent fever and enlarged lymph nodes, may indicate hematologic disorders and requires further diagnostics.
In such cases, manual – microscopic smear is necessary, which can significantly expedite the establishment of the correct diagnosis.
Agnieszka Kuś, MD
Doctor of medicine, graduate of Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, specialized in internal medicine. Works for the Lower Silesian Oncology Centre in Wroclaw.