If leukemia is suspected, doctors will prescribe a blood test for blasts. This study helps to identify a dangerous disease in a timely manner and begin treatment as soon as possible. How to prepare for sampling? And how to decipher the results of the analysis? We will consider these issues in the article.
What it is?
Blasts are immature blood cells that are produced in the bone marrow. Subsequently, they are converted to red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Blast cells are the precursors of mature blood cells.
In a healthy person, blasts in the bone marrow make up no more than 5% of the cells. In infectious diseases, their concentration can increase up to 10%. However, normally immature cells should not enter the bloodstream. They can only be located within the bone marrow.
In severe hematological pathologies, the patient has blasts in the blood. What does it mean? This analysis result indicates oncological diseases of the hematopoietic system. With these pathologies, an excessive amount of immature elements is formed in the bone marrow. Excess blasts are released into the bloodstream. Their presence in the analysis is an alarming sign.
In the initial stage of blood cancer, about 40% of blast cells can be in the bone marrow. Subsequently, a malignant tumor is formed from these immature elements.
Blood analysis
How to detect the presence of blasts in the bloodstream? This can be done using a general blood test. This study shows the number of mature and immature cells.
For the sample, blood is taken from a finger or from a vein. Biomaterial is studied under a light microscope. This device has a special grid for counting blood cells. With its help, the concentration of blasts is determined. In the transcript of the analysis, the number of immature cells is indicated as a percentage.
Indications for the study
In what cases do doctors prescribe a blast test? This study is indicated if the patient has the following symptoms:
- swollen lymph nodes;
- causeless increase in temperature;
- enlarged liver and spleen;
- weakness;
- severe tonsillitis;
- red dots on the skin;
- increased bleeding.
Very often, patients take these manifestations for signs of a sore throat and other infectious diseases. However, such symptoms may indicate the presence of severe bone marrow pathology. For the purpose of differential diagnosis, doctors prescribe an analysis for the presence of blasts in the blood.
Analysis preparation
A blast cell test is usually taken in the morning, on an empty stomach. The results of the analysis are most often ready the very next day.
What rules should be observed before taking biomaterial for blasts? This study does not require complicated preparation. The following recommendations should be followed:
- stop eating 8 hours before the test;
- do not drink alcohol on the eve of the study;
- 2 hours before taking blood to exclude smoking.
It is also recommended that you stop taking the medicine 3 days before the analysis. If the patient cannot interrupt the course of drug treatment, then you need to tell the doctor about all the drugs taken.
Decryption
Normally, blasts should be absent from the analysis. In this case, the results of the study indicate that their indicator is 0%. In a healthy person, only mature elements can be in the blood.
If the analysis contains even a small percentage of blasts, then this is a dangerous sign. The results of the test must be shown to the doctor and immediately begin treatment.
Cause of abnormalities: leukemia
The main reason for the appearance of blast cells in the sample is leukemia. This disease is also called leukemia or blood cancer. Pathology is accompanied by uncontrolled division of immature cells in the bone marrow, which subsequently form a tumor.
Doctors distinguish two forms of leukemia:
In acute leukemia, a huge number of blast cells are found in the blood. Their concentration may be more than 20%. In the chronic form of blood cancer, the rate of immature elements usually does not exceed 5-10%.
Other blood counts
When studying the results of the analysis, the doctor always pays attention to other indicators of the clinical study. The presence of blast cells in the biomaterial is always considered in combination with other blood parameters. The following data may indicate the presence of leukemia:
- Leukocytosis. In about 15% of patients with acute leukemia, the white blood cell count is ten times higher than normal.
- Low hemoglobin. In patients with blood cancer, severe anemia and a decrease in the number of red blood cells are noted.
- A drop in platelet count. For this reason, bleeding is noted in patients with leukemia.
- Reticulocyte reduction. These cells are young forms of red blood cells. Their small number leads to anemia.
- The complete absence of eosinophils and basophils. This causes a sharp decrease in immunity.
The above symptoms, together with the appearance of blast cells in the blood, allow the doctor to diagnose leukemia.
Bone marrow examination
If a patient has blasts in the blood, then doctors usually prescribe a bone marrow puncture. The study is carried out under local anesthesia. A special long needle makes a puncture in the sternum or spine and a piece of bone marrow tissue is taken for examination.
Punctate is examined using a microscope. The amount of mature and immature blood elements is determined in the biomaterial. An increase in blast cells of up to 10% does not always indicate leukemia. Such a study result is possible with severe stress or an infectious disease. If the concentration of blasts exceeds 30%, then this is most often a sign of blood cancer. In this case, the patient decreases the number of red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells in the puncture material.
If leukemia is suspected, a cytochemical analysis of punctate is also performed. It allows you to identify the level of enzymes of blast cells. These substances react with some dyes, which is used in laboratory research. Positive test results indicate leukemia. By measuring the level of each blast enzyme, a form of blood cancer can be determined.
Treatment
What if a blood test showed the presence of blast cells? In these cases, the doctor usually prescribes a number of additional tests. The most informative of these is bone marrow puncture. An excessively high number of blasts in punctate is a sign of leukemia.
If the diagnosis of leukemia is confirmed, then treatment should be started immediately. It is important to remember that in the early stages of blood cancer it is quite possible to achieve complete or partial remission. Today, the following methods of treating leukemia are used:
- Chemotherapy. Cytostatics are prescribed to the patient, which inhibit the growth of the neoplasm in the bone marrow. Such treatment can take quite a long time.
- Blood transfusion. The patient is given intravenous red blood cells and platelets received from a donor. This helps raise hemoglobin levels and reduce bleeding.
- Radiotherapy. This type of treatment is indicated for chronic leukemia. The patient is irradiated with enlarged lymph nodes and the spleen area.
- Antibiotic therapy. Patients with leukemia are very susceptible to infectious pathologies. In order to prevent such diseases, antibiotic courses are prescribed.
- Bone marrow transplantation. Such an operation helps to completely get rid of leukemia. The complexity of transplantation lies in the fact that a foreign organ of blood formation does not always take root.
After complex therapy, repeated bone marrow puncture is performed. If the concentration of blasts has decreased to 5%, then doctors are talking about complete remission. If the rate of immature cells does not exceed 20%, then remission is considered partial. In any case, the patient must follow the doctor’s recommendations for life. Leukemia is a dangerous and serious disease. Even with complete remission, relapse of the pathology cannot be ruled out.