Leukemia Symptoms

What Is Leukemia Symptoms?

Leukemia symptoms include anemia and tiredness. Other symptoms may include mouth sores and fever or frequent coughing. Latter-stage leukemia symptoms include bleeding and easy bruising.

Types of Leukemia

Leukemia is classified after considering the type of white blood cells that have been affected and the speed at the disease spreads through the body.

Acute Leukemia

This is when the disease progresses at a rapid pace. This results in the accumulation of blood cells in the bone marrow that are immature. In acute Leukemia the cells reproduce in the bone marrow, decreasing its ability to produce healthy blood cells.

Chronic Leukemia

Leukemia is characterized as chronic when the disease spreads slowly and results in the accumulation of mature, but abnormal white blood cells over time. This type of Leukemia tends to take longer which leads to symptoms that are more noticeable as compared to acute Leukemia. Chronic Leukemia is harder to treat.[1]

Myeloid Leukemia

This is when certain cells in the body such as, monocytes and granulocytes increase. Granulocytes carry granules within them which release enzymes to counter invading fungi or bacteria while monocytes turn into macrophages which destroy the fungi or bacteria.

Lymphocytic Leukemia

This develops from blood cells that raise the number of T lymphocytes or T cells in the body. Lymphocytic Leukemia also increases the number of natural killer cells and B lymphocytes. These cell types have a special role in the body’s immune system to fight off infections. [2]

How Is Leukemia Diagnosed?

Leukemia is diagnosed through a CBC test which evaluates the blood. It can also be detected with a flow cytometry test. A patient is tested for Leukemia if they display some of the common signs that are associated with Leukemia, such as, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and night sweats.

Leukemia Staging

Identifying the different stages of Leukemia may offer crucial information relating to the progression of the disease. Leukemia cells multiply in the bone marrow and affect blood cells, red blood cells and platelets in the body rather than forming tumors.[3]

Chronic Leukemia Stages

Stage 0 – High white blood cell count with no physical symptoms.

Stage 1 – High white blood cell count with enlarged lymph nodes.

Stage 2 – High white blood cell count and anemia. Possibility of enlarged lymph nodes.

Stage 3 – High white blood cell count and anemia. May also have enlarged lymph nodes and/or an enlarged spleen or liver.

Stage 4 – High white blood cell count and low platelets. Presence of anemia and enlarged lymph nodes, liver or spleen.

Is Leukemia Hereditary?

There is a growing amount of research that is finding that Leukemia could be hereditary, as in, it could run in the family due to gene mutations. It should be noted that AML often occurs in individuals with inherited disorders such as ataxia telangiectasia and down syndrome.

Also, it should be noted that Leukemia is not always hereditary and while some individuals do tend to inherit the genetic features that could lead to the disease, it does not mean that they are going to develop Leukemia as a condition.[4]

Leukemia Symptoms

Leukemia begins within the bone marrow and spreads quickly through the blood to other parts of the body. Early symptoms of Leukemia may include, fever, swollen lymph nodes, bleeding, severe infections and fatigue.

What Are the Symptoms of Leukemia?

Symptoms of Leukemia could include:

  • Fever
  • Night sweats
  • Fatigue
  • Infections
  • Bone tenderness
  • Pain under the left side of ribs
  • Enlarged liver or spleen
  • Bruising or bleeding
  • Bone or joint pain

What Are Some Signs of Leukemia?

As mentioned, signs refer to clinical manifestations; something that could be noticed during medical tests or examinations. Some early signs of Leukemia could include:

The clinical manifestations of Leukemia include repeated infections such as coughing, fevers, sore throat or mouth sores and an increase in bleeding and bruising.

Symptoms of Leukemia in Women Vs. Symptoms of Leukemia in Men

The symptoms of Leukemia in women include, nose bleeds, tiny red spots on the skin, persistent fatigue and weight loss. Leukemia symptoms in men include, fevers, excessive sweating, enlarged liver or spleen and frequent infections.

Risk factors for Leukemia

The risk factors of Leukemia include, age, family history and certain blood disorders. Radiation exposure and exposure to cigarette smoke or certain chemicals can also increase the risk of Leukemia in certain individuals.[5]

Leukemia Prevention

There is no known prevention for Leukemia. This is why it is suggested to avoid being exposed to tobacco smoke and pesticides or industrial waste to lower your chances of developing Leukemia.

Leukemia Prognosis and Treatment

The prognosis for Leukemia is highly dependent on the stage and type of Leukemia In general, Leukemia cancers caught at earlier stages (stage 0/in situ, stage 1) have a better outlook. If the cancer has metastasized, treatment is more difficult, but it is important to maintain hope.

Some of the treatment options for Leukemia include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and bone marrow transplant. Other more radical treatments include clinical trials and engineering immune cells for fighting Leukemia. Immunotherapy is also another viable option when it comes to the treatment of Leukemia.

Leukemia Survival Rate

The 5-year survival rate of leukemia patients is up by 65%. However, these statistics vary depending on a number of factors. The 5-year survival rate of chronic lymphocytic Leukemia is 85%. The 5-year survival rate of individuals who are 20 and older is around 40%. That said, new treatments have significantly lengthened the lives of individuals with Leukemia.

Leukemia Treatment Options

Doctors will determine the right treatment option after a thorough examination of the individual. This will include a physical exam, a bone marrow test and blood tests.[6] The following is a breakdown of the treatment options for leukemia patients;

Radiation therapy

In this treatment, the patient’s leukemia cells are destroyed using radiation. This can help relieve the discomfort that’s caused due to an enlarged spleen or liver. Radiation therapy is often administered in low doses before stem cell transplants in leukemia patients

Stem Cell Transplant

This procedure is also known as hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation and infuses the blood-forming stem cells in the body. The stem cells that are used are collected from the individual’s bone marrow, or from a donor.

Chemotherapy

This is a primary treatment option for leukemia patients and consists of several drugs that are used together to destroy cancer cells in different ways.

Immunotherapy

In this treatment option the medication is used to help boost the body’s own immune system. There are several types of immunotherapies that are available and the doctor will decide which option is best for an individual.

Targeted Therapy

Using targeted drugs the treatment is able to attack the leukemia cells directly, resulting in reduced side effects and without reducing the healthy cells in the body.[7]

Conclusion

The goal of leukemia treatments is to put the cancer into remission and cure the patient in the long run. Even once the blood count has returned to normal, some patients may still require ongoing maintenance therapy in order to remain in remission. Maintaining remission is the goal of the treatment in leukemia patients, which can also include a stem cell transplant.

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