Signs and Symptoms

Acute leukemia is often diagnosed because the patient feels ill.  They may have symptoms related to not having enough normal cells, such as: 

• Weakness, shortness of breath and anemia due to a lack of red blood cells (which carry oxygen to the body's tissues)
  
  
• Bleeding and bruising due to a lack of platelets (which are cell fragments that the body uses in the clotting process to plug holes in leaking blood vessels)
  
  
• Recurrent infections due to a lack of normal infection fighting WBCs.
  

Those with acute leukemia may also have signs and symptoms related to accumulations of immature white blood cells, such as: bone and joint pain; enlarged lymph nodes, spleen, liver, kidneys, and testicles; and headaches, vomiting, confusion, and seizures (when excess cells collect in the brain or central nervous system).  They may also experience fever, weight loss, and night sweats.

Chronic leukemias often progress slowly and may be found by the doctor during a routine check-up before any symptoms are noticed, or they may cause milder forms of the same symptoms noticed with acute leukemia.  The rate at which they progress depends on the patient.  Some cases may be monitored for years before they require treatment, while others may be more aggressive.  The abnormal cell that is producing the chronic leukemia may also become unstable.  Further changes in the cell may cause a blast crisis, leading to the production of only immature cells and a rapidly worsening condition.