Leukemia cells are abnormal cells that cannot do what normal blood cells do. They cannot help the body fight infections. For this reason, individuals with leukemia often get infections and have fevers. Also, those with leukemia often have less than the normal amount of healthy red blood cells and platelets. As a result, there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. With this condition, called anemia, individuals may look pale and feel weak and tired. When there are not enough platelets, patients bleed and bruise easily.
Like all blood cells, leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms. Some of the common symptoms of leukemia include: fever, chills, and other flu-like symptoms; weakness and fatigue; frequent infections; loss of appetite and/or weight; swollen or tender lymph nodes, liver, or spleen; easy bleeding or bruising; tiny red spots, called petechia, under the skin; swollen or bleeding gums; sweating, especially at night; and/or bone or joint pain.
In acute leukemia, symptoms appear and get worse quickly. In chronic leukemia, symptoms may not appear for a long time. When symptoms do appear, they generally are mild at first and get worse gradually. Doctors often find chronic leukemia during a routine checkup - before there are any symptoms - with blood tests revealing abnormal white blood cell counts.
In acute leukemia, the abnormal cells may collect in the brain or spinal cord. The result may be headaches, vomiting, confusion, loss of muscle control, and seizures. Leukemia cells can collect in the testicles and cause swelling. Some individuals develop sores in the eyes or on the skin. Leukemia also can affect the digestive tract, kidneys, lungs, or other parts of the body.
Chronic leukemia often goes undetected for many years until it is identified in a routine blood test. Nearly one in five chronic leukemia patients have no symptoms at the time of their diagnosis. In chronic leukemia, the abnormal blood cells may gradually collect in various parts of the body. Chronic leukemia may affect the skin, central nervous system, digestive tract, kidneys, and testicles.
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