Ask the Lab Scientist

January 17, 2022

White blood count is high (1,600). Should I be worried?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: I had blood work done by a hematologist and the doctor said my white blood count is high (1,600). He said I need to come back in three-months to check if it’s gotten better. Should I be worried? Answer: Have you been diagnosed with CLL? It

January 17, 2022

Why do I have high WBC and no neutrophils?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: Why do I have high WBC and no neutrophils? Answer: The number of neutrophils rises and falls regularly, and the number reported can change depending on the lab processing your bloodwork and the time of day it was drawn. Please discuss your labs with your

January 17, 2022

How do tumor B cells function in regard to IgG production? Do they produce a monoclonal, though useless, Ab? Does a relatively normal serum globulin level consist largely of this IgG?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: How do tumor B cells function in regard to IgG production? Do they produce a monoclonal, though useless, Ab? Does a relatively normal serum globulin level consist largely of this IgG? Answer: Yes, for specific antigens present on a tumor cell, normal B cells will

January 17, 2022

How do I obtain a lab study to determine if the COVID vaccine is effective?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: How do I obtain a lab study to determine if the COVID vaccine is effective? Answer: You can ask your doctor to do the “Spike protein” antibody test. Although, no one is sure at this point whether the presence of antibodies equates to immunity for

January 17, 2022

Ask The Lab Scientist: Do you know of any ongoing clinical trial that is studying the seronegative response of COVID antibodies after the vaccination?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: Do you know of any ongoing clinical trial that is studying the seronegative response of COVID antibodies after the vaccination? I have read that it is running at 36% negative, primarily with those taking current treatment, of which I am not. Answer: There have been

January 16, 2022

Has anyone tested to see of CLL patients who catch COVID before being vaccinated and get antibodies treatment, who then get vaccinated, should be given antibodies treatment regularly along with boosters? Would that keep their antibodies level up?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: Has anyone tested to see of CLL patients who catch COVID before being vaccinated and get antibodies treatment, who then get vaccinated, should be given antibodies treatment regularly along with boosters? Would that keep their antibodies level up? If so, would this be a potential

January 13, 2022

I have been diagnosed with CLL and in Watch and Wait. How does one know when you are eminently compromised? What is my risk level? How effective has the COVID shots been?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: I have been diagnosed with CLL and in Watch and Wait. How does one know when you are eminently compromised? What is my risk level? How effective has the COVID shots been? Answer: Only an extremely small percentage of those who are diagnosed with CLL / SLL

January 13, 2022

What do antibody results mean to me as a CLL patient?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: I was asked to have a lab sample drawn for COVID-19 antibodies three weeks after the Pfizer booster I had received as an immunocompromised person. I’ll be doing this soon under the study sponsored by LLS. I understand that the result range is 0.8-250

January 12, 2022

I don’t know if I’m mutated or unmutated??? Will I ever know?

Ask the Lab Scientist Question: Diagnosed in April 2021 and I will see my CLL Specialist again in October. Can you explain why my lgvh mutation analysis from LabCorp states No Result? They said “A B‑cell band could not be detected; thus, no further sequencing analysis could be performed.

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