Symptoms of leukemia

Symptoms start to appear as the number of leukemia cells grows and your bone marrow can no longer make the normal blood cells your body needs. Having too few normal white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets can cause a number of symptoms. In acute leukemia, symptoms appear and get worse quickly.

Acute leukemia (AML and ALL) can cause you to have too few normal white blood cells (a condition called neutropenia). You will not be able to fight infection very well. If you have too few red blood cells (anemia), you may feel very tired, be short of breath or look pale. Too few platelets (thrombocytopenia) can lead to unusual bleeding. You may bruise easily or notice small purple or red spots on your skin, especially on your arms and legs. Other general symptoms of acute leukemia may include:

fever
unexplained weight loss
general discomfort
sore throat
swollen gums
drenching night sweats
headache
vomiting
vision problems
bone or joint pain
painless swelling of the lymph nodes

In the early stages of chronic leukemia (CML and CLL), the leukemia cells can function almost normally and cause no symptoms. The disease is often discovered during a routine blood test. When symptoms do appear, they generally are mild at first and get worse gradually. General symptoms of chronic leukemia may include:

fatigue
general discomfort
loss of appetite
unexplained weight loss
drenching night sweats
painless swelling of the lymph nodes

Often, these symptoms are not caused by leukemia. Other health problems can cause them, such as the flu or an infection. Testing is needed to make a diagnosis.

Learn more about the four most common forms of leukemia:

Last modified on: 09 December 2009