Lymphocytic leukemia is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer. This disease grows rapidly and creates immature blood cells instead of mature ones. Lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children, and timely treatment can result in a good possibility for full recovery. It also occurs in adults but the chance of a cure is significantly lower.
The warning signs of this disease are as follows. Remember, symptoms vary from person to person.
Most symptoms result from the decline in normal blood cells, which happens as a result of leukemia cells crowding red blood cells in the bone marrow. They result in symptoms such as tiredness, weakness, dizziness and lightheadedness, fever, shortness of breath, easy bruising, bleeding, and recurring infections.
Some patients show nonspecific symptoms, such as weight loss, night sweats, fever, fatigue, and a loss of appetite. These may also indicate other conditions, apart from lymphocytic leukemia.
Let’s look at the symptoms specific to lymphocytic leukemia.
The leukemia cells build up in the spleen and the liver, which causes these organs to enlarge. This can be noticed in the swelling of the belly and a lower appetite.
Leukemia which has spread to the lymph nodes close to the body can be noticed as lumps under the skin. The nodes inside the chest can also swell but it can only be detected with an MRI scan.
Leukemia cells build up near the bone or inside the joint which can cause pain.
Sometimes leukemia spreads to other organs as well. If it spreads to the brain and spinal cord, it can cause headaches, vomiting, trouble with balance, facial numbness, weakness, blurred vision, and seizures. If it spreads to the chest, it can cause fluid to build up and lead to trouble in breathing. Rarely, it spreads to the skin, kidneys, eyes, and other organs as well.
It is important for the patient to recognize symptoms and visit a medical practitioner at the right time. For children suffering from the disease, there is a greater chance of successful treatment and recovery. For adults, on the other hand, the recovery chances are lower. If you detect any of the above symptoms and the signs, which can cause trouble in your daily routine, contact a doctor at the earliest. The medication and treatment will depend on the stage at which cancer has progressed and the age of the patient. Doctors tend to recommend treatments based on how far the medical condition has progressed. Learn everything there is to know about the disease and start treatment at the earliest to treat it successfully.
