Leukemia is a cancer of the blood that affects white blood cells, which typically have the job of fighting infection and disease. Those affected have abnormal white blood cells that take away from healthy ones, leading to serious problems. Leukemia can develop quickly or slowly and there are different types of this disease. Learn to recognize common symptoms and know when it is important to seek medical attention.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Identifying the Common Symptoms
Step 1. Check for symptoms, which resemble those of the flu
These may include fever, fatigue, or chills. If they go away after a few days and you feel good again, it was probably just the flu. However, if they persist, you should see your doctor. Symptoms of leukemia are often confused with those of the flu or other infections. In particular, you must pay attention to:
- Continued weakness or fatigue
- Frequent or severe nosebleeds;
- Repetitive infections;
- Unexplained weight loss
- Inflamed lymph nodes
- Enlarged spleen or liver
- Predisposition to bruising and bleeding;
- Small red spots on the skin
- Strong sweating;
- Bone pains;
- Bleeding gums.
Step 2. Monitor your tiredness level
Chronic fatigue is often a premonitory symptom of leukemia. Since it is quite a frequent occurrence, many patients neglect this symptom, which can also be accompanied by a feeling of weakness and very little energy.
- Chronic fatigue is different from just feeling tired. If you find yourself unable to concentrate or think your memory is weaker than normal, you may be suffering from chronic fatigue. Other symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, new and unusual muscle aches, sore throat, or severe exhaustion lasting more than a day.
- You may also notice that you feel weak, for example in the limbs. It may be more difficult to do things you normally do.
- Along with fatigue and weakness, you may also notice a change in the tone of your skin, which has become paler. This may be due to anemia, which is a low hemoglobin value in the blood. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to all of your tissues and cells.
Step 3. Track your weight
Losing weight for no apparent reason is often a symptom of this condition. This could be a subtle symptom that, if it occurs on its own, does not necessarily indicate the presence of a tumor. However, if you lose weight without changing your normal diet or physical activity routine, it is important that you see your doctor for a visit.
- It is normal for the weight to fluctuate over time. Pay particular attention to slow but steady weight loss even without having made special efforts.
- Weight loss due to disease is often accompanied by a feeling of decreased energy and weakness, rather than a sense of greater well-being.
Step 4. Pay attention to bruising and bleeding
People with leukemia tend to have these signs more easily. The cause is partly due to low red blood cell and platelet counts, which lead to anemia.
Take note if you feel like a bruise is forming after every slight bump or if a small cut starts to bleed profusely. This is a particularly significant symptom. Also watch out for bleeding gums
Step 5. Look at the skin for small red spots (petechiae)
They generally look different than the usual spots that form after physical activity or due to acne.
If you see red, round, small areas on your skin that weren't there before, see your doctor right away. These look more like rashes than bloodstains. They often form in clusters
Step 6. Determine if you are having more infections than usual
Since leukemia impairs healthy white blood cell counts, frequent infections can occur. If you often have skin, throat, or ear infections, your immune system may be weakened.
Step 7. See if you are experiencing bone pain and achiness
If your bones are sore and sore with no other health reasons to justify it, consider getting tested for leukemia.
You may experience bone pain associated with leukemia because the bone marrow is too "crowded" with white blood cells. Leukemia cells can also accumulate near bones or inside joints
Step 8. Learn about risk factors
Some people are more predisposed to this pathology than others. Although the presence of certain risk factors does not automatically lead to the development of the disease, it is important to recognize them. You are most at risk if:
- You have undergone previous cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy;
- You suffer from genetic diseases;
- You are or have been a smoker;
- Some of your family members have or have had leukemia;
- You have been exposed to chemicals such as benzene.
Part 2 of 2: Undergo Tests for Leukemia
Step 1. Take a physical exam
During your visit, your doctor will check if your skin is unusually pale. This could be due to anemia, which is associated with leukemia. He will also pay attention to the lymph nodes to make sure they are not swollen and may have tests to see if the liver or spleen is larger than normal.
- Swollen lymph nodes is also a clear hallmark of lymphoma.
- If the spleen is particularly enlarged, it can be a sign of many other diseases, such as mononucleosis.
Step 2. Get a blood test
Your doctor may ask you to take a blood draw to check your white blood cell and platelet counts. If the count is significantly high, your doctor may ask you to do other tests (MRI, rachycentesis, CT scan) to check for leukemia.
Step 3. Get a bone marrow biopsy
This procedure involves inserting a long, thin needle into the hip bone to extract a bone marrow sample, which will be sent to a laboratory to check for leukemia cells. Based on the result, you will need to investigate further.
Step 4. Get a diagnosis
Once your doctor has looked at all possible aspects of your problem, they can make a diagnosis. To get to this you may have to wait a bit, as lab times can vary. However, you may get the results within a few weeks. You may not have leukemia. If not, the doctor will be able to tell you which type of disease has affected you and you can discuss the various treatment solutions with him.
- Your doctor will tell you if the disease is progressing rapidly (acute) or slowly (chronic leukemia).
- He will later determine which type of leukocytes have been affected by the disease. Lymphocytic leukemia affects lymph cells, while myeloid leukemia alters myeloid cells.
- Although adults can get all types of leukemia, most children are affected by acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
- Both children and adults can develop acute myeloid leukemia, but this is the most common fast-growing type among adults.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia affect adults and can take years to manifest with symptoms.
