Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells (WBCs). Traditionally, WBCs help combat infections. Though there is no definite cause of leukemia, when the bone marrow produces several abnormal white blood cells, they take over the bone marrow and enter the bloodstream, triggering different signs. Depending on how fast leukemia progresses, it is divided into different subtypes. Acute leukemia develops faster, whereas chronic leukemia develops slower.
Symptoms
Some symptoms associated with acute leukemia may vary between individuals. But a few common signs people generally experience are:
1. Fatigue
Be careful when exhaustion lasts for a prolonged duration. One must immediately see a doctor when:
– Tiredness lasts over two weeks, leading to muscle loss
– It continues even after proper sleep or rest
– It keeps coming back and gets worse
– One feels continually breathless during/after an activity
– One finds it hard to concentrate
– There is confusion
– One is sleeping more than usual
2. Repeated infections
Infections occur because the body is not producing enough WBCs for the immune system to function well. One must consult a doctor when infections are associated with other signs like:
– Pain or swelling around a wound
– Redness
– Cough
– Sore throat
– Sweating or chills
– Fever
3. Shortness of breath
While one may experience shortness of breath due to several reasons, one should schedule an immediate doctor visit when one experiences:
– Sudden breathlessness that occurs unexpectedly
– Breathlessness during routine activities
– Breathlessness that lasts longer than a month
– A drop in fitness
– Coughing for three weeks or more
4. Bleeding or bruising
While leukemia bruises look no different from ordinary bruises, one should be cautious when:
– They show up in unusual places
– They are high in number
– One experiences excessive bleeding
– They take longer to disappear
– One cannot explain their occurrence
5. Night sweats or fever
Sweating during the night is common during summer, but one must pay close attention to it when:
– One experiences regular sweats that wake one up at night
– One also has diarrhea, cough, or fever
– One sweats severely without any reason
– One rarely endured night sweats before
6. Other symptoms
Besides the symptoms mentioned above, an individual with acute leukemia may experience the following symptoms:
– Bone and joint pain
– Swollen glands or lymph nodes
– Loss of appetite
Causes and risk factors
Sadly, most people who develop leukemia have no apparent cause or known risk factor. Generally, leukemia occurs when blood cells undergo mutations in the DNA, making it grow and divide abnormally. Further, some factors can increase a person’s risk of developing the condition. These include:
– Previous cancer treatments (radiation therapy or chemotherapy)
– Genetic disorders (Down Syndrome)
– Family history of leukemia
– Exposure to certain chemicals
Treatment and management
The type of treatment a doctor may recommend depends on the type of acute leukemia one has. Some commonly recommended options for managing the condition include:
– Chemotherapy to destroy abnormally dividing cells
– Radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells
– Targeted therapy to target mutated genes
– Immunotherapy to boost the immune system
– Stem cell transplant for bone marrow replacement
