What lab findings are generally seen with leukemia?

Pancytopenia and circulating blasts are hallmark lab findings associated with leukemia, making this the correct answer. In leukemia, the bone marrow often produces large amounts of abnormal white blood cells, known as blasts, while simultaneously leading to a decrease in the production of normal red blood cells and platelets. This imbalance results in pancytopenia, which is characterized by low levels of all three blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The presence of blasts in the circulation is a critical indicator of an acute leukemia, supporting the diagnosis and guiding treatment decisions.

In contrast, the other options present lab findings that do not accurately represent the typical hematologic picture seen in leukemia. Elevated creatinine and decreased hemoglobin may indicate renal failure or other conditions rather than leukemia specifically. Normal white blood cell count with thrombocytopenia could occur in various scenarios, but it does not indicate the overwhelming presence of leukemic cells. Increased hemoglobin and normal platelets suggest a physiological state rather than the hematological derangements observed in leukemia. Therefore, the presence of pancytopenia along with circulating blasts distinctly aligns with the pathophysiological changes in leukemia.