Leukemia symptoms can vary. The symptoms usually depend on the type of leukemia.
Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow (that produces blood cells) or the blood. There are a few broad categories of blood cells, including platelets, white blood cells (WBCs), and red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs). People who have leukemia suffer from an abnormal blood cells production, usually leukocytes.
Common Leukemia Symptoms
Common leukemia symptoms can include:
- Chills or fever
- Weakness, persistent fatigue
- Unintentional weight loss
- Frequent infections
- Tenderness and bone pain
- Recurrent nosebleeds
- Bruising or easy bleeding
- Excessive sweating, mostly at night
- Swollen lymph nodes (especially in the armpits and neck)
- Tiny red spots on the skin
- Enlarged spleen or liver
Leukemia can also cause certain symptoms in organs that have been affected or infiltrated by the cancer cells. For instance, if the disease spreads to the central nervous system, it may cause frequent headaches, confusion, nausea and vomiting, seizures, and loss of muscle control.
Leukemia can also spread to some other parts of the body, such as:
- Kidneys
- Lungs
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Testes
- Heart
Symptoms of Acute and Chronic Leukemia
- Acute Leukemia
Symptoms of acute leukemia generally appear and get worse really quickly. A person who has this condition usually go to a doctor because feels very sick.
- Chronic Leukemia
Symptoms of chronic leukemia develop slowly and, in the beginning, are typically not as severe as in the case of acute leukemia. This type of leukemia is usually spotted during a routine doctor’s exam before leukemia symptoms are actually present. When symptoms occur, they are pretty mild at first and progressively get worse, but many times they don’t worsen until many years after an early diagnosis.
The latest studies discovered that white blood cells in the stomach can be present in the blood of chronic leukemia patients many years before an initial diagnosis. Further, this can lead to a much better understanding of the cellular changes that appear in the initial stages of cancer and how the ailment progresses.
When to Visit a Doctor
You should see your doctor as soon as possible if you have any persistent symptoms that concern you. Leukemia symptoms are usually vague and not really specific. You may overlook initial leukemia symptoms because they can be similar to the flu or some other common illnesses. In rare cases, leukemia can be discovered during certain blood tests for another disease.
Conclusion:
There may be no any symptom during the early stages of leukemia. Many of the leukemia symptoms are not apparent until numerous blood cells are crowded out by the cancer cells.
The prognosis for a person who has leukemia depends on the type of leukemia and the stage at diagnosis. The sooner is diagnosed and the earlier it is treated, the better the chance of recovery. If you have worry for some of the symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor. Remember that every person’s condition is different.