Leukemia is a form of cancer that affects the blood or bone marrow. There is a wrong perception that leukemia affects only children. Even adults can be affected. Leukemia is classified as acute (where cancer cells appear suddenly and multiply) and chronic (which takes many years to develop).

There are many signs and symptoms of leukemia, which can help in detecting the disease early. This can be a problem in the case of children, who may not express their symptoms. Parents should be observant, and if these symptoms are spotted, they need to immediately see a specialist doctor who can carry out tests for leukemia. This article discusses the early signs and symptoms of leukemia.

1. Early signs to watch for
Cancers are challenging to diagnose at an early stage due to a lack of symptoms. However, some early warning signs of leukemia become evident as the cancer starts growing. These include:

• Fever
• Fatigue that does not resolve even rest
• Severe headaches that remain for a long time
• Night sweats
• Being bruised easily
• Loss of appetite
• Pain in the bones
• Pain the joints
• Shortness of breath
• Frequent susceptibility to infections

2. Symptoms of leukemia
Apart from the early signs, there are many other symptoms of leukemia that one may observe. These symptoms may show up at any stage. The symptoms include:

• Excess bleeding from the gums or stools or bleeding in the urine (this is a serious symptom that should never be ignored)
• A general malaise, accompanied by anemia
• Recurrent infections with a sore throat, bronchial infection, mouth sores, and skin rashes
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling in the spleen, causing discomfort in the lower left rib region
• Bleeding from small cuts or scrapes that does not stop
• Swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin region
• Severe pain in the bones
• Dizziness
• Low-grade fever, which may not be accompanied by an infection
• Swelling in the abdomen accompanied by a feeling of fullness after eating
• Petechiae or small red dots that are visible beneath the skin
• Leukemia in the thymus can cause headaches, swelling in the chest, face, arms, and neck. One’s consciousness may also be affected due to the changes in blood flow. This is known as superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome.
• High fever along with seizures

The article explained the early warning signs of leukemia that would help detect this disease at an early stage. This is vital as cancer treatment becomes difficult once cancer advances. Any of these signs observed need to be shown to a doctor.