What is the first sign of leukemia?
Introduction
Of the many types of cancers, sign of leukemia is a condition wherein the cells of blood are affected. This condition is known to start from your marrow; if you are not familiar of marrows, it is the birthing suite of cells in your blood. Bone marrow is a location where immature cells of blood – which turn into red blood cells, white blood and platelets are born.
All three forms of blood cells have a specific task to do. Your red blood cells ensure all parts of your body are catered to with needful amount of oxygen. Your white blood cells are known to safeguard your system from invasions and threats. These threats may take the shape of an infection or an allergy. Lastly, cells known as platelets work to clot your blood; this helps when you are bleeding profusely. Without platelets, an episode of bleeding in unlikely to stop.
Onset of blood conditions like leukemia can make your system produce a very huge quantity of cells in your blood. This is treated as a serious medical condition. This also needs immediate clinical attention. Among the three different kinds of blood cells, your white blood cells are at a larger risk. New and large number of white cells can flock your system due to an unprecedented growth of such cells. Over a period – i.e., if left untreated – a blast of white cells will overcrowd your blood.
Once this overcrowding occurs, healthier white cells tend to lose properties to defend your body. This is one of the main reasons for people with cancers may get infected more often than others.
Signs of leukemia
Each type of cancer shows up in its own unique and characteristic manner. Leukemia is known to exhibit a few of its symptoms. Beware: two people living with leukemia may not have similar types of signs. There are also some conditions where the typical signs do not occur.
Typical Signs of Leukemia include fatigue and tiredness – these spells can occur almost for the entire day; in most people, taking rest may not lead to an improvement in your tiredness, infections such as runny nose, common cold, flu, etc., internal bleeding – this may occur very often, bruises, etc. If these signs show up frequently, it becomes important to consult with a qualified medical professional.
Added symptoms of leukemia are: spike in body temperatures, a sudden loss of weight, swelling of your lymph-nodes; these are more likely to occur in neck, groin as well as arm-pits. In some people, symptoms can include breathing difficulties; you may gasp or pant. In general, you may experience sickness in more ways than one.
It is also possible to experience a single symptom – as a precautionary measure, make time to meet with a certified clinical practitioner without much delay. It is important to note that most cases of leukemia are diagnosed through a causal blood test – like a full blood count.
Woman signs of leukemia in adults
Incidence of a cancerous condition like leukemia is likely to have an adverse impact on how your blood clots. This has a significant bearing on women – especially during their menstrual cycles. As leukemia tends to damage blood cells known as platelets, clotting of blood becomes an issue. As a result – women may experience heavy spells of bleeding.
How do women know if excessive bleeding is due to leukemia? Women can look out for several related signs. Key among them is: you may see purple-colored or reddened spots on skin. This is often an outcome of bleeding internally i.e., below your epidermis. Women may also witness blood in their feces, also, their stools may turn dark; these are triggered by bleeding from the gastric tract. If you continue to see non-stop blood discharge – while having periods, talk to your physician at the quickest possible time.
In some females, symptoms like inability to move or coordinate body parts can show up. This is likely to be an outcome of bleeding internally at the cerebral system. Some women may also report discomforts like sweating profusely – especially during sleep time. There are instances where women have woken up in the middle of night fully drenched with sweat.
Women may also see their liver and / or spleen getting bigger. This can be detected through a few characteristic signs such as a sharp pain from your stomach; this is felt below the left-hand side of your rib cage. Women may also feel quite full even upon consuming a smaller quantity of food. Leukemia may also trigger pains in women’s bones; this is due to accumulation / build-up of cells at the bone marrow. In some women, these pains may deter walking; some may start limping due to these discomforts.
Women who are living with an acute form of leukemia are likely to have an unprecedented increase in white blood cells. Owing to this this, many women may feel malaise / sickness; your caregiving team may consider as a condition needing urgent care. Women may also report epileptic fits or seizures / convulsions doubling of vision, and problems with moving their limbs – both arms and feet
Signs of leukemia
What causes leukemia is not known in full. Studies conducted on leukemia show two possible agents: a- environmental factors and 2- genetic reasons. One widely held assumption is leukemia is triggered whenever blood cells undergo mutation at genetic or DNA levels. Every blood cell in your system is ordered by cell-level DNA on is functions and ‘duties’. The very same DNA is where instructions on growth and death of a cell are issued to each blood cell. Those living with leukemia are likely to see cells in blood multiplying at a faster rate and divide in an uncharacteristic manner.
When this unprecedented growth rate remains unchecked, your system makes a very huge number of cells in your blood. If this allowed to continue without any treatment, such an abnormal growth of blood cells will soon outgrow the number of healthy cells. This leads to a marked decrease in the quantum of normal blood cells. This drop is seen in all three types of blood cells.
You also need to know blood conditions like leukemia manifest in various kinds. Depending on which cells are afflicted, leukemia can be either lymphocytes-based or myeloid cells-based. Among the two distinctive types, myeloid-cells are way too young and immature – these may turn into any of the three blood cells viz., red blood cells, white blood cells as well as platelets. On the other hand, lymphocytes are white blood cells.
Leukemia can take either a chronic or an acute form. Chronic version grows in a gradual manner while the acute version is known for its faster growth rate. If chronic form is not treated in a timely mode, it becomes an irreversible / untreatable disease. Similarly, the acute type of leukemia can take graver proportions if not treated at an earlier stage.
Of the many types of blood-related cancerous conditions, leukemia, lymphoma as well as myeloma are some of the distinctive versions. These cancerous blood conditions may show up at any point of your life. These may form in adults and in children or teens. Symptoms of cancers also tend to vary between teens and adults.
In general, cancers like leukemia are treated through multiple ways; the chosen way is a factor of the kind of cancers you are afflicted by stage in which the condition is in, how old are you, etc. All these play a pivotal role in determining which approach works / fits well. Widely used modalities to treat leukemia – across both genders – are targeted therapies, immunotherapies, chemotherapy radiation therapy, transplantation of stem cells, etc.
When blood cancers like leukemia are not multiplying at a faster rate, your physician is unlikely to commence the treatment plan. Your caregiving team will observe your condition for needful amount of time before starting to treat them.
Diagnosis of leukemia is done with a panel of lab tests – especially, tests done on samples of blood as well as bone marrow samples. Treatment is dependent on the stage of leukemia and on your other ailments. If radiation therapy, targeted therapies, chemotherapy and the likes are the possible treatment options, you are advised to adhere to the sittings without fail.
Upon sensing any discomforts such as pains or tiredness, speak with your caregiving team as quickly as you possibly can. Also, to know more about what the first sign of leukemia is, consult with your oncologist
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Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai Experience: Agarwal is a seasoned pharmacist with over 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field. She has worked in various settings, including hospital pharmacies and community clinics, where she has excelled in medication management, patient counseling, and clinical support. Agarwal is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes. is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes.
