Leukemia Signs and Symptoms

Leukemia is one of the most common types of cancer among children and adults. What are the symptoms and signs of leukemia? How is it detected? Read on to find out the answers.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Leukemia?

The signs and symptoms of leukemia vary depending on several factors, including the type of leukemia, the patient’s age, and overall health. Generally, the symptoms start mild and slowly worsen over time, becoming more severe and frequent, especially in certain types of leukemia. Here is a detailed explanation of the most prominent signs and symptoms of leukemia:

• Common Symptoms and Signs

Not all leukemia patients will exhibit all of the following signs, and not all patients experience the same symptoms. Some patients may not have any symptoms at all. However, common symptoms include:

1. Anemia: that causes persistent fatigue and weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting.
2. Frequent or severe infections: Recurrent or severe infections that last longer than usual are common symptoms of leukemia. Patients may notice frequent mouth sores, sore throat, wounds, scratches, and boils.
3. Easy Bruising and Bleeding: Due to a decrease in platelets that help blood clot, patients may experience frequent nose or gum bleeds, small red, purple, or brown spots on the skin, black or tarry stools, and heavy menstrual periods in women.
4. Increased Sensitivity to Temperature: Reduced red blood cell count makes the person more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
5. Pain Below the Ribcage: The liver or spleen may enlarge due to the accumulation of leukemia cells, causing pain on the left side below the ribcage and a feeling of fullness after eating small amounts.
6. Increased Sweating: Especially at night.
7. Bone Pain: Leukemia cells may accumulate in the bone marrow, causing bone pain and limping in children.
8. Other Symptoms: These include fever and chills, loss of appetite and weight, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, stomach, or groin, vision problems, headaches, and nausea due to blood clots.

• Signs and Symptoms Based on Type of Leukemia

Leukemia is classified in two ways: by the type of white blood cells affected (lymphoid or myeloid) and by how quickly the disease progresses (acute or chronic). Based on these classifications, there are four main types of leukemia:

1. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
2. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
3. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).
4. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

While all types cause the general symptoms mentioned earlier, here are some specific characteristics of each type:

• Acute Leukemia

In this type, cells divide rapidly, and the disease progresses very quickly. Symptoms appear within a few weeks of cancer cell formation and worsen over time. Early symptoms often resemble those of the flu or less severe conditions.

• Chronic Leukemia

Abnormal leukemia cells can function like normal white blood cells, so symptoms do not appear early and can take years to manifest. Many patients discover they have leukemia during blood tests for other reasons.

How is leukemia detected?

A doctor may suspect leukemia based on routine blood tests or blood tests done for other reasons. The following steps might be taken for diagnosis:

• Physical Examination: The doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms, check the skin for bruises, swollen lymph nodes, spleen, liver, gum bleeding, and other symptoms.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC): This test measures the levels of red and white blood cells. In leukemia, white blood cell count is higher than normal.
• Blood Cell Examination: The doctor may request additional tests like flow cytometry or peripheral blood smear to check for leukemia cells or a specific type.
• Other Tests: These include bone marrow biopsy, CT scan, MRI, X-ray, and lumbar puncture.

Blazma offers various tests that a doctor might request, including Peripheral blood film, complete blood count, and an anemia Package, which do not require any special preparations.