"Leukemia spots" usually refer to petechiae, tiny red, purple, or brown dots under the skin caused by bleeding from broken capillaries, a sign of low platelets due to leukemia. These pinpoint spots cluster and don't fade when pressed, often appearing on legs, arms, or inside the mouth, but can also indicate other issues like infections or medication side effects, requiring medical evaluation. Leukemia can also cause other skin changes like rashes (leukemia cutis), lumps, or dryness, linked to leukemia cells invading the skin or immune system problems.
Leukemia spots, called petechiae, look like tiny, flat, pinpoint-sized red, purple, or brown dots that appear in clusters, often on arms, legs, or the mouth, and importantly, do not fade or turn white when pressed. They form from broken capillaries due to low platelets, resembling a rash but are actually tiny bleeds under the skin.
The appearance of petechiae can vary slightly from person to person, but usually involves tiny spots that: Occur in clusters. Can be red, purple or brown. May appear as a flat, unraised skin rash.
Early signs of leukemia often mimic the flu and include persistent fatigue, fever, night sweats, frequent infections, and unexplained weight loss, due to the body's inability to produce healthy blood cells. Other key indicators are easy bruising or bleeding (like nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or tiny red spots on skin), bone/joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, and sometimes pale skin or shortness of breath, all stemming from low red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.
They might develop a petechial rash. These are round red or purple spots that appear on the surface of the skin that don't change colour when you press them.
Symptoms of childhood leukemia
Itching itself can range from mild to severe and can occur anywhere on your body. Some common areas where people with blood cancer experience itching are on the torso, back, legs and arms. The sensation can come and go in short bursts or it may last for long periods of time.
Leukemia symptoms commonly include fatigue, breathlessness, infections, and bruising or bleeding more easily. Leukemia* symptoms vary depending on the type of leukemia. Not everyone gets the same symptoms, and you won't necessarily have all of the symptoms.
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.
Age. Most people with leukemia are over 60. Although you can develop it at any time of life, most types are rarely diagnosed in people under 40.
Some basal cell carcinomas may appear as raised, pink or red, translucent, shiny, pearly bumps that may bleed after a minor injury. They may have a lower area in their center, and blue, brown, or black areas. Know the signs and symptoms of basal cell carcinoma.
Some red spots on the skin can be harmless, while others may require medical attention. Conditions like heat rash, cherry angiomas, lichen planus, and pityriasis rosea often do not need treatment. Others, like petechiae, psoriasis, and skin cancer need to be diagnosed and treated by a healthcare provider.
Petechiae from leukemia often resemble a common skin rash, such as atopic dermatitis. However, leukemia rashes have a distinguishing characteristic: When pressure is applied, the spots will retain their red, purple or brown color. Conversely, when pressure is applied to any other type of rash, the skin will turn white.
Leukemia-related petechiae occurs when tiny blood vessels called capillaries bleed beneath the skin, causing a rash with pinprick-sized red, brown or purple spots on the skin, usually the arms and legs.
Some forms of chronic leukemia initially produce no early symptoms and can go unnoticed or undiagnosed for years.
Your doctor orders blood tests to look for the presence of abnormalities. They also evaluate your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. These tests give your doctor information about leukemia type. They also help with monitoring leukemia and planning your treatment.
Some people with leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes have bone or joint pain. This bone pain is most often felt in the long bones of the arms and legs, in the ribs, and in the breastbone.
Leukemia starts in the soft, inner part of the bones (bone marrow), but often moves quickly into the blood. It can then spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system, and other organs.
When detected and treated early, acute leukemia is curable in many cases. "Even when there are a lot of factors, such as advanced age and other medical conditions, we estimate that half of acute leukemia cases can be cured, which is high for such an aggressive cancer," says Dr. Shah.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is often a silent disease during the initial stages, with many patients having no noticeable symptoms. CLL is commonly detected by accident when routine blood testing reveals an elevated lymphocyte count (lymphocytosis).
According to our 2018 patient survey, 5% of leukaemia patients will experience nausea or vomiting as a symptom prior to their diagnosis. “I started vomiting regularly and barely eating anything. Many days, I could barely move for the exhaustion and dizziness.”
Early signs of leukemia often appear as mild and persistent abnormalities in the complete blood count (CBC), which may go unnoticed or be attributed to more benign causes. Common misinterpretations include: Anemia misdiagnosed as iron deficiency or chronic disease. Thrombocytopenia mistaken for medication effects.
The Biggest Indicator of Leukemia: Persistent Abnormal Blood Counts. One of the most significant signs of leukemia is persistent abnormal blood counts. These changes can affect different parts of the blood. It's important to understand these changes early for treatment.
You may see small spots in the skin (petechiae) or larger discoloured patches (purpura). These may look like a rash but are actually clusters of small bruises. On black and brown skin petechiae and purpura typically look purple or darker than the surrounding skin, and on lighter skin they tend to show as red or purple.
Common signs and symptoms of lymphoma