Many people don't have any symptoms for at least a few years. In time, the cells can spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common chronic leukemia in adults (most common in people over 65). Symptoms may not appear for several years with CLL. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is more common in older adults (most common in people over 65) but can affect adults of any age.
Acute leukemia may cause signs and symptoms that are similar to the flu. They come on suddenly within days or weeks. Chronic leukemia often causes only a few symptoms or none at all. Signs and symptoms usually develop gradually.
You can have chronic lymphocytic leukemia for years without having any symptoms. If you have CLL, you may not need treatment right away. Healthcare providers can't cure it, but they can provide treatments to eliminate CLL symptoms and signs of disease, putting the disease into remission.
Some signs of leukemia, like night sweats, fever, fatigue and achiness, resemble flu-like symptoms. Unlike symptoms of the flu, which generally subside as patients get better, leukemia symptoms generally last longer than two weeks, and may include sudden weight loss, bone and joint pain and easy bleeding or bruising.
Leukemia can produce a variety of symptoms, although most are not often apparent in the earliest stages of the malignancy. The most common symptoms of leukemia—fatigue, pale skin, weight loss and night sweats—are often attributed to other less serious conditions, such as the flu.
Acute leukemia symptoms can often appear suddenly
You may suddenly spike a fever that won't go away, develop an infection for no apparent reason, or start bleeding spontaneously from your nose or gums and not be able to stop it.
Stage 1 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 2 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic. He or she may also have enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 3 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic.
Leukemia is commonly misdiagnosed as the following conditions: Influenza. Fever. Pathological fracture.
In the United States, overall, 5-year survival among people diagnosed with leukemia is 65%. However, these statistics vary greatly according to the specific subtype of disease: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) 5-year survival rate is 88%. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) 5-year survival rate is 71.3%.
How Is Leukemia Treated? Your doctor will conduct a complete blood count (CBC) to determine if you have leukemia. This test may reveal if you have leukemic cells. Abnormal levels of white blood cells and abnormally low red blood cell or platelet counts can also indicate leukemia.
The median age of a patient diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is 65 years and older. However, most cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) occur in people under 20 years old. The median age of an ALL patient at diagnosis is 15.
6. Is leukemia curable if caught early? If caught early, leukemia can be cured by undergoing several cancer treatments.
Chronic leukemia involves more-mature blood cells. These blood cells replicate or accumulate more slowly and can function normally for a period of time. Some forms of chronic leukemia initially produce no early symptoms and can go unnoticed or undiagnosed for years.
If acute leukemia is left untreated, a person with leukemia becomes increasingly susceptible to fatigue, excessive bleeding and infections until, finally, the body becomes virtually defenseless, making every minor injury or infection very serious. Leukemia may be fatal.
CLL is difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms only manifest in the later stages of the disease. As in all types of care, a late diagnosis often means worse prognosis.
There are also a handful of general symptoms of leukemia that are less common. “Less common symptoms of leukemia include vomiting, aches in the arms, legs, or hips, pale skin, swollen gums or lymph nodes, and an enlarged spleen or liver,” Dr. Feiner said.
During a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, cells are removed from the bone marrow so they can be tested in a lab. The report from the lab will confirm whether or not there are leukemia cells in the sample and, if so, the type of leukemia. Find out more about a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.
How is leukemia diagnosed? A diagnosis of leukemia is usually made by analyzing a patient's blood sample through a complete blood count (CBC) or microscopic evaluation of the blood, or by using flow cytometry.
Leukemia is a serious condition that requires diagnosis and treatment from a healthcare professional. There are currently no at-home tests that a person may use to aid leukemia diagnosis. If an individual has concerns about their health, they should contact a doctor as soon as possible.
Who gets leukemia? Although it is often thought of as a children's disease, most cases of leukemia occur in older adults. More than half of all leukemia cases occur in people over the age of 65.
Leukemia bruises have several distinguishing features that set them apart from normal bruises including: Location: Bruises may appear in places you would normally not have bruising, such as the back, chest, or face. Number: You may have many bruises at once, arising for no apparent reason.