What is having leukemia like?
Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow cells and it can come with a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms might be subtle and slow at first — and include things like fatigue, headaches, unintentional weight loss, abnormal bleeding and bruising, and frequent infection.
How does someone get leukemia?
How does leukemia form? Some scientists believe that leukemia results from an as-of-yet undetermined combination of genetic and environmental factors that can lead to mutations in the cells that make up the bone marrow. These mutations, known as leukemic changes, cause the cells to grow and divide very rapidly.
Does leukemia show up on blood work?
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.
Do you feel ill with leukemia?
People often feel ill quite quickly. Most symptoms of acute leukaemia are caused by leukaemia cells filling the bone marrow. This means healthy blood cells do not move into the blood as normal.
What is the most common form of leukemia?
The major types of leukemia are: Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This is the most common type of leukemia in young children. ALL can also occur in adults. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). AML is a common type of leukemia. It occurs in children and adults. AML is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults.
What happens if you have leukemia?
Since leukemia affects the body’s ability to fight infections, a person with this type of cancer may develop infections such as bronchial pneumonia, sore throat, mouth sores, etc.
What is the most aggressive type of leukemia?
ALL (also called acute lymphocytic leukemia) is an aggressive type of leukemia characterized by the presence of too many lymphoblasts or lymphocytes in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. It can spread to the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system (CNS), and other organs. Without treatment, ALL usually progresses quickly.
What is the end stage of leukemia?
The final phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia refers to the phase when the percentage of cancerous cells exceeds thirty percent. A variety of distressing symptoms may be experienced in this phase. If the treatment options work, the disease may go in remission. At times, leukemia could also relapse.