Warning Signs of Leukemia

A diagnosis of leukemia can come after a variety of leukemia symptoms.

Leukemia that develops in lymphoid cells is referred to as “lymphocytic” and when leukemia affects the myeloid cells it is referred to as “myelogenous”.

Lymphoid white blood cells are responsible for immunity and immune response, while myeloid cells are the types of platelets that consume bacteria and are located in bone marrow.

Diagnosis of Leukemia

Knowing the warning signs of leukemia can lead to an early diagnosis and treatment.

Acute leukemia causes a rapid development of symptoms while chronic leukemia may only be discovered through a routine check-up or a standard blood test.

Signs and Symptoms of Leukemia

• Unexplained Fever
• Night Sweats
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Bleeding gums in the absence of gum disease
• Easy Bruising
• Frequent infections
• Swollen neck and armpit lymph nodes that are not painful
• Abdominal discomfort and swelling
• Painful joints or bones

Other Conditions and Symptoms that Mimic Leukemia

Many of the warning signs of leukemia can be cause by other conditions including aging, poor diets, systemic infections, menopause, insomnia and others. In many cases, a routine blood work and a visit to a physician can rule out serious medical conditions.

Children can develop cancer and many of the initial stages of leukemia mimic normal childhood ailments.

Parents of children who have been diagnosed with leukemia often noticed that their child had a case of the flu prior to confirmation of the disease.


Symptoms of childhood leukemia include many of the common complaints of the flu.

• Fever that lasts a few days
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Lethargy
• Pain in the legs, joints, back
• Headache
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Unusual bleeding including from the gums, nose bleeds and red pinpoints under the skin
• Lack of appetite
• Weight loss
• Night Sweats
• Irritability
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Bloated abdomen
• Pains in the abdomen
• High amount of infections

Diagnoses of Leukemia

The most common tests for leukemia are bone marrow, bone, spinal fluid and blood tests. Blood tests can reveal specific abnormalities that help oncologist narrow down which type of leukemia is present.

Bone marrow and bone and spinal fluid provide additional information that is used to develop treatment plans.

Each type of leukemia is treated differently and if a diagnosis is made early through recognition of the warning signs of leukemia may include chemotherapeutic drugs, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants or other surgeries.

Treatment plans will also take into consideration family history, personal medical history and the progression of the disease.

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia treatment plans include radiation, chemical, surgical and monoclonal antibody therapy, (a type of cellular targeting treatment using specially designed antibody cells).
• Chronic myeloid leukemia treatment plans include surgery, biological and chemical therapies, stem cell transplants, and lymphocyte infusion.
• Acute lymphocytic leukemia may include three phases of treatment depending on the age and aggressiveness of this type of cancer including initial therapy, intense therapy and maintenance therapy. Treatments may include chemo and radiation therapy and chemotherapy in conjunction with stem cell transplants to replace the diseased cells
• Acute Myeloid leukemia treatment may include chemical and radiological therapies, chemotherapeutic therapy in conjunction with stem cell transplant and other types of drug therapy.

Leukemia Survival Rates

Acute leukemia survival rates in both children and adults are slightly higher than for chronic leukemia averaging 79% for children and 52% for adults.

The consensus is that chronic leukemia causes vague symptoms that can be overlooked easily. Acute leukemia strikes fast and hard permitting a quicker diagnosis.

Diet, exercise and regular checkups with a family practitioner spot many types of cancer in its early stages. Learning to spot the warning signs of leukemia before the disease progresses increases the survival rate of these types of cancer.

Warning Signs of Leukemia