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How to manage blood cancer in an 8-year-old boy?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My son is 9 years old. From his birth, he is having a cold and cough problem. After that, we took CBC and it came back normal. But his WBC was around 22300 till three months from birth. After that, he was unable to walk and got a severe fever, cold, and shivering. I consulted a child specialist and he told us to take a CBC. In that, WBC was around 58000. The doctor told us to take a scan and it showed pleural effusion. Again, he told me to do a fluid test. But I have not got the results. But my doctor started to give treatment by chemotherapy by saying that he has blood cancer. They took a bone marrow biopsy and it showed a negative result. I have a doubt now. Is it good to do chemotherapy before getting the results of the fluid report? But his CBC is getting increased rapidly. Now my doctor is advising us to do a bone marrow transplant. I have a younger kid under the age of three. He says that his sibling matches his blood and he has to be the donor for the affected person. Please give me a suggestion.

Answered by Dr. Durairaj Arjunan

Education:

MD General Medicine

Professional Bio:

Dr. Durairaj A is a skilled General Physician specialized in General Medicine, with expertise in diagnosing and managing a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal disorders. He is dedicated to providing comprehensive, evidence-based care with a focus on preventive health and patient education, ensuring effective treatment and long-term well-being for individuals of all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your son can have leukemia and there are many types of leukemia. It cannot be confirmed only by doing CBC (complete blood count). There are multiple tests to be done. A fluid test will not show a positive result even in a single test. It has to be repeated. He needs to do flow cytometry to know the cause. Please mention whether he is having fever, sore throat, and any other complaints. Bone marrow transplantation can be done only after subtyping leukemia. Chemotherapy has to be started only after knowing the diagnosis. But if the child is sick or if it does not affect the result, then chemotherapy can be started.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sneha Kannan
Published At June 18, 2020
Reviewed At November 5, 2025

Education:

MD General Medicine

Professional Bio:

Dr. Durairaj A is a skilled General Physician specialized in General Medicine, with expertise in diagnosing and managing a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal disorders. He is dedicated to providing comprehensive, evidence-based care with a focus on preventive health and patient education, ensuring effective treatment and long-term well-being for individuals of all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sneha Kannan is a skilled Dental Surgeon with expertise in providing general dental care, including scaling, fillings, and preventive treatments. She does oral surgery procedures such as extractions and minor surgical interventions. She does procedures in restorative dentistry, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. She is an expert in doing endodontic treatments such as root canal therapy. She is well-versed in doing procedures in cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening and smile correction. She can provide pediatric dental care for children’s oral health and preventive treatments. She promotes oral hygiene awareness and preventive dental practices.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

MD General Medicine

Professional Bio:

Dr. Durairaj A is a skilled General Physician specialized in General Medicine, with expertise in diagnosing and managing a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal disorders. He is dedicated to providing comprehensive, evidence-based care with a focus on preventive health and patient education, ensuring effective treatment and long-term well-being for individuals of all ages.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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