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What Does A Low LAP Score Indicate?
Question: Hi, I'm a 27 year old female and have a history of papillary thyroid cancer diagnosed three years ago. I've had swollen lymph nodes under my jaw for over a year now, and I'm always tired. My endocrinologist ran a LAP score blood test to rule out infection and it came back low. She referred me to an oncology CNP here, who had no idea what a LAP score was or what a low level would indicate, though she thought something with the liver? Google tells me entirely different and scary things, mostly about leukemia. I'm at a loss of what to do, the endocrinologist had the lymph nodes biopsied last year and the results came back fine. So I guess my overall question here is what does a low LAP score indicate, and do I need to find a new onco that knows what to do with it? Thanks for reading!
Brief Answer:
Hello dear. LAP has nothing to do with cancer of thyroid.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear. first of all do not worry.
I would lie to make certain things clear here.
1. LAP score is used to differentiate between an infection and otherwise elevated white blood cell count. It is elevated in infections and is low in chronic myeloid leukemia(CML).
2. CML presents with pain abdomen (due to enlarged spleen), fatigue, lethargy excessive sweating and can easily be diagnosed by blood counts.
A low lap doesnot mean a person has CML. It can be low or normal in normal individual also.
3. Your node enlargement can be reactive in response to some infection. Nodes require biopsy only if they are above 1 cm size, increasing in number or size.
So please do not worry. I think your nodes are benign in nature.
However if they enlarge, you can go for biopsy.
For rest of all, you do not have leukemia if your blood counts are normal.
Thanks and regards
Hello dear. LAP has nothing to do with cancer of thyroid.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear. first of all do not worry.
I would lie to make certain things clear here.
1. LAP score is used to differentiate between an infection and otherwise elevated white blood cell count. It is elevated in infections and is low in chronic myeloid leukemia(CML).
2. CML presents with pain abdomen (due to enlarged spleen), fatigue, lethargy excessive sweating and can easily be diagnosed by blood counts.
A low lap doesnot mean a person has CML. It can be low or normal in normal individual also.
3. Your node enlargement can be reactive in response to some infection. Nodes require biopsy only if they are above 1 cm size, increasing in number or size.
So please do not worry. I think your nodes are benign in nature.
However if they enlarge, you can go for biopsy.
For rest of all, you do not have leukemia if your blood counts are normal.
Thanks and regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Answered by
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