Leukemia Signs & Symptoms

Conditions & Diseases: Cancers

Leukemia Signs and Symptoms

Leukemia symptoms can vary from patient to patient depending on (1) the number of leukemia cells, (2) the area of the body where leukemia cells collect, and (3) the leukemia type.

The most common symptoms are:

Fever, chills, night sweats.
Fatigue, weakness and tiredness.
Frequent and recurrent infections (caused by an impaired white blood cells function).
Easy bruising and bleeding (caused by a decrease number of platelets which helps the blood to clot).
Loss of appetite.
Weight loss.
Headache (caused by an increased number of leukemia cells in the brain).
Anemia (caused by a low concentration of healthy red blood cells).
Tender or swollen lymph nodes (in the neck and armpit area).
Tender or swollen liver.
Discomfort or swelling in the abdomen cavity (caused by a tender or swollen spleen).
Swollen or bleeding gums.
Small red spots under the skin.
Bone or joint pain.
Breathing difficulties (short breathing).

Severe forms of leukemia symptoms include:

Severe infections.
Nose bleeds.
Vomiting.
Loss of muscle control (caused by an increased number of leukemia cells in the spinal cord).
Confusion (caused by an increased number of leukemia cells in the brain).
Seizures (caused by an increased number of leukemia cells in the brain).

However, these severe symptoms occur when the patient suffers from acute forms of leukemia.

Also, leukemia symptoms vary between patients with chronic and acute leukemia. Chronic leukemia may be asymptomatic in its early stages or the symptoms are mild, because the cells affected by leukemia still function normally. In most cases chronic types of leukemia are discovered during a routine check-up. However, in acute leukemia patients the symptoms appear and progress rapidly.

Some of the leukemia symptoms are similar with other medical conditions, like flu or cold, and only a doctor can establish a correct diagnosis.

Article by Alina Morrow,
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com