Can leukemia be detected through a urine test?

Sep 19, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Liu Feng

Introduction

In general, leukemia cannot be directly diagnosed through urinalysis; however, in certain circumstances, urinalysis results may indirectly suggest the presence of leukemia. It should be clearly understood that urinalysis is only a preliminary screening tool and should not be the sole basis for suspecting leukemia. When abnormal urinalysis results occur alongside symptoms related to leukemia, timely further examinations such as complete blood count and bone marrow aspiration are necessary.

Generally, leukemia cannot be directly diagnosed through urinalysis, but in certain cases, urinalysis results may indirectly suggest the presence of leukemia. The detailed analysis is as follows:

If leukemia cells invade the kidneys or cause hyperuricemia leading to uric acid crystal deposition in the kidneys, urinalysis may show abnormalities. For example, protein, red blood cells, or significantly elevated uric acid levels may be detected in the urine. While these findings do not directly indicate leukemia, they can reflect kidney dysfunction, which might be a sign of organ involvement by leukemia and thus indirectly suggest the need for further leukemia evaluation. Additionally, if patients with leukemia develop infections—such as urinary tract infections—urinalysis may reveal increased white blood cells or positive bacteria. Such infections may be complications resulting from weakened immunity caused by leukemia.

It should be clearly understood that urinalysis is only a preliminary test and should not be used alone to suspect leukemia. When urinalysis results are abnormal and accompanied by symptoms suggestive of leukemia, timely further examinations such as complete blood count and bone marrow aspiration are necessary. Do not ignore bodily discomfort simply because urinalysis results are normal; some early-stage leukemia cases may not affect urinalysis results. A comprehensive assessment based on multiple tests is required. Always follow medical advice and avoid drawing conclusions based on a single test result.

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