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What are the symptoms of leukemia?

Symptoms of leukemia vary slightly according to what type it is, but usually include fatigue, frequent and persistent infections, unusual bleeding and bruising, weight loss, an enlarged spleen, abdominal discomfort, bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, and night sweats or fever.

FAQ Frequently asked questions

What is leukemia?

Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells.

What causes leukemia?

In many cases, the cause of leukemia is unknown. In the case of chronic myeloid leukemia, most cases are caused by a gene mutation within a single stem cell.

Who gets leukemia?

Anyone can get leukemia, but it is most common in older people, although different types tend to affect different age groups more. For example, acute lymphoblastic leukemia is more common in children.

How is leukemia diagnosed?

Leukemia is diagnosed with a blood test. Blood test results that show a higher-than-normal number of white blood cells and a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells indicate the need for leukemia diagnostic tests.

How is leukemia treated?

How leukemia is treated depends on the type of leukemia you have. In general, leukemia is treated with chemotherapy, but there are specific treatments for some types of leukemia.

Can leukemia be cured?

Leukemia is often considered to be cured if you have been free of the disease for at least five years. However, it is common for the cancer to return.

Can leukemia be prevented?

Leukemia cannot be prevented. You can reduce your risk of it developing by limiting your exposure to risk factors such as radiation, certain chemicals and cigarette smoking.

Are there different types of leukemia?

Leukaemias are classified according to the type and maturity of the white blood cells that are affected. Aggressive leukemia is referred to as acute, whereas leukemia that takes a long time to cause clinical problems is referred to as chronic.

What is the outcome for leukemia?

The prognosis of leukemia varies greatly according to the type and stage of leukemia. If you have leukemia, your doctor will discuss the likely outcome of treatment with you.

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About this article

Author: Jonathan Meddings BMedLabSc (Hons)
First answered: 18 Sep 2014
Last reviewed: 19 May 2018
Rating: 4.3 out of 5
Votes: 360 (Click smiley face below to rate)
Category: Lung cancer

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