Leukemia Symptoms or Blood Cancer Symptoms

Leukemia symptoms are not so specific. Leukemia or Blood Cancer is a type of cancer which affects the blood cells.

This cancer results in over production of white blood cells which do not function normally instead grow fast and do not die unlike the normal cells.

Over time, these abnormal cells crowd out the normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets

The normal cells repair and multiply or reproduce in a controlled manner. They follow a systemic procedure of cell division and multiplication. The body is made of many different types of cells which form the building blocks of the body.

The cells are of various types like the skin, muscle, nerve and the blood cells. The cancer which affects the blood cells is the leukemia or blood cancer it affects the white blood cells, red blood cells and also the platelets. This type of cancer is most common among children.

The leukemia or blood cancer majority of the time affects the white blood cells. These WBC (White Blood Cells) pass from the bone marrow into the blood stream and lymph system.  They perform various functions of the body’s defense system.

As they form the part of immune system they fight against any infections. When cancer affects these cells they fail to perform their function meaning less able to fight against any infections.

The bone marrow is also able to make other types of blood cells, such as red blood cells and platelets. Problems can result from a reduction in number of these cells.

For example, a lack of red blood cells leads to anaemia, which can result in breathlessness and fatigue. A lack of platelets can lead to problems with the blood-clotting system, resulting in bruising.

Leukemia Symptoms

The leukemia symptoms or the blood cancer symptoms are often nonspecific or vague. Other types of cancer show less or no symptoms in their early stages and more symptoms in their advanced stages but this cancer shows symptoms which may occur with other cancerous as well as noncancerous disorders.

The leukemia symptoms or blood cancer symptoms depend on the stage of the cancer meaning how much and how far the cancer has grown. Each type of leukemia has its own symptoms. But some of the general leukemia symptoms or blood cancer symptoms are as follows:

• Feeling tired or weakness and fatigue.
• Experiencing a bodily discomfort which is malaise
• Abnormal bleeding may be one of the leukemia symptoms or blood cancer symptoms
• Bruising of the skin and bleeding from the gums or rectum as the platelets are affected
• Reduced exercise tolerance
• Loss of appetite or not feeling hungry
• Weight loss
• Pain in the bones and joints
• Infection and fever
• Night sweats.
• Abdominal pain or “fullness”
• Enlarged spleen, lymph nodes, and liver

• Frequent or unusual infections.
• Headaches.
• Swelling in the belly or pain on the left side of the belly or in the left shoulder from a swollen spleen.
• Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck, or groin.