Symptoms of leukemia in adults

Leukemia is a deadly blood cancer. Based on the 2018 Globocan data, the number of deaths from leukemia is in the fifth rank among other types of cancer. However, death from leukemia can still be suppressed if detected early. Therefore, it is important for you to recognize the symptoms and signs of leukemia that may occur in adults.

Various symptoms of leukemia in adults

Leukemia signs or symptoms can vary from person to person. This depends on the type of leukemia you have and the severity of the disease.

For people with chronic leukemia, the symptoms are generally mild or don't even appear at all. These signs and symptoms will usually develop gradually as the disease progresses.

Meanwhile, for people with acute leukemia, the signs and symptoms that they feel can be more varied. These symptoms also generally appear suddenly within a few days or weeks.

However, the symptoms of leukemia are often vague and specific. The reason is, the signs that appear are often similar to other, more common diseases, such as flu. To get to know him better, here are the early symptoms of leukemia that often occur in adults:

1. Frequent infections and fever

The cause of leukemia is the production of too many abnormal white blood cells. These abnormal cells prevent white blood cells from fighting infections in the body. Your body also can't produce enough normal white blood cells to maintain a proper immune system.

As a result of this condition, the body of people with leukemia cannot destroy harmful viruses, bacteria, or fungi that enter the body, making them susceptible to infection, recurrent infections, or even severe infections.

As for infections in the body, it can cause flu-like symptoms, namely fever, chills, coughing, sore throat, and a high body temperature that reaches 38 ° C or more.

This high temperature and fever can also cause a person to experience excessive sweating, especially at night.

2. Fatigue or symptoms of anemia

Apart from producing too many abnormal white blood cells, leukemia can also damage the bone marrow's ability to produce red blood cells that the body needs.

The red blood cells are in charge of carrying oxygen throughout the body. If your body doesn't have enough red blood cells, you can experience symptoms of anemia, such as feeling tired that doesn't go away even after resting and sleeping, shortness of breath, or unusually pale skin.

3. Bruised or bleeding

Other symptoms or features of leukemia that often occur in adults, namely a rash or red spots on the skin, bruising, or bleeding suddenly and the cause is unknown. Bleeding can occur from the nose (nosebleeds) or gums, prolonged bleeding from sores, heavy periods, or blood in the urine or feces.

This condition can occur because leukemia can interfere with the ability of the bone marrow to produce platelets that the body needs. The sufficient platelets in the body can help blood clot from a bleeding condition.

4. Bone or joint pain

Leukemia occurs when abnormal white blood cells form in the bone marrow and start dividing uncontrollably. The bone marrow is a spongy tissue that resides in the bones and contains stem cells that develop into all types of blood cells.

When leukemia occurs, the abnormal buildup of white blood cells causes the bone marrow to enlarge and puts pressure on the nerves in the bone tissue, causing pain. Symptoms of leukemia are most often felt in the long bones of the arms and legs or the ribs and sternum.

The symptoms of leukemia are less common

Apart from those mentioned above, leukemia can also cause symptoms and other signs that are less common, such as:

• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin.
• Discomfort in the stomach.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Numbness in the hands or feet.
• Heart palpitations.
• Loss of concentration.
• Sleep problems.
• Headache.
• Back pain.
• Muscle ache.
• Itchy skin.
• Unexplained weight loss.

Are there typical symptoms of acute leukemia in adults?

The four signs or characteristics of leukemia above are indeed the initial symptoms that generally occur. The symptoms you feel can be more severe if the cancer cells you have are developing very quickly, which is called acute leukemia.

In this condition, symptoms that are generally felt are respiratory and neurological, such as visual changes, confusion, vomiting, loss of muscle control, or even seizures. If you or someone closest to you experiences these symptoms, you should immediately take it to the hospital for medical treatment.