search 
:
:
search in:
Health Topics A-Z
Leukemia
The Basics | Symptoms | Detection & Treatment
What Are the Symptoms?
Many types of leukemia produce no obvious symptoms in early stages. Eventually, symptoms may include any of the following:
- Anemia and related symptoms, such as fatigue, pallor, and a general feeling of illness.
- A tendency to bruise or bleed easily, including bleeding from the gums or nose, or blood in the stool or urine.
- Susceptibility to infections such as sore throat or bronchial pneumonia, which may be accompanied by headache, low-grade fever, mouth sores, or skin rash.
- Swollen lymph nodes, typically in the throat, armpits, or groin.
- Loss of appetite and weight.
- Discomfort under the left lower ribs (caused by a swollen spleen).
- In advanced stages, symptoms may include sudden high fever, confusion, seizures, inability to talk or move limbs, and an altered state of consciousness.
Call Your Doctor If:
- You experience any of the symptoms listed in the description section and cannot readily explain their occurrence. Your blood cell count should be tested.
- You experience unexplained bleeding, high fever, or a seizure. You may need emergency treatment for acute leukemia.
- You are in remission from leukemia and notice signs of recurrence, such as infection or easy bleeding. You should have a follow-up examination.
Medically reviewed by Harold Burstein, MD, August 2005.
SOURCES: National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. WebMD Medical Reference from the American College of Physicians: “Section 12 XVI Acute Leukemia.” WebMD Medical Reference from the American College of Physicians: “Section 12 XV CLL and Plasma Cell Disorders.” WebMD Medical Reference from the American College of Physicians: "Section 12 XVII CML and Other Myeloproliferative Disorders."
SOURCES: National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. WebMD Medical Reference from the American College of Physicians: “Section 12 XVI Acute Leukemia.” WebMD Medical Reference from the American College of Physicians: “Section 12 XV CLL and Plasma Cell Disorders.” WebMD Medical Reference from the American College of Physicians: "Section 12 XVII CML and Other Myeloproliferative Disorders."
The Basics | Symptoms | Detection & Treatment
© 2005 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.
Continue: Health Topics A-Z | Your Health Home