Symptoms of leukemia

Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
Updated on September 11, 2024
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The symptoms of leukemia can be categorized into four main types: infections, anemia, bleeding, and organ infiltration. Infections occur due to a decrease in neutrophils, leading to poor resistance of the body and can trigger infections in various parts, such as lung infections, gastrointestinal infections, urinary system infections, etc. Anemia is caused by the growth of leukemia cells, which leads to limited erythropoiesis in the bone marrow, resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, poor appetite, and decreased tolerance to activity. Bleeding is due to a significant reduction in platelets in leukemia patients, making spontaneous bleeding more likely, which can manifest as bleeding from the skin and mucous membranes, organ bleeding, etc. Tumor infiltration can lead to abnormalities in other organs.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Is chronic myeloid leukemia scary?

Chronic myeloid leukemia, though a type of leukemia, is not terrifying because there are targeted drugs available for it, namely tyrosine kinase inhibitors. These inhibitors have been developed into first, second, and third-generation products. Most cases of chronic granulocytic leukemia can achieve clinical remission after oral administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Some patients might experience a blast crisis, acceleration phase, or relapse during treatment, but they can switch to higher-grade tyrosine kinase inhibitors or undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Thus, chronic myeloid leukemia is no longer considered a frightening disease. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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How is leukemia treated?

Leukemia treatment currently mainly consists of three aspects: supportive care, chemotherapy, and transplantation. Supportive care refers to actively preventing and treating infections, as well as transfusing red blood cells and platelets in leukemia patients, who often suffer from repeated infections, anemia, and bleeding. Chemotherapy can be divided into oral chemotherapy and intravenous chemotherapy, depending on the specific type of leukemia. Transplantation can be divided into autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Autologous transplantation costs less and has fewer side effects but has a higher relapse rate. Allogeneic transplantation is more costly, has more severe side effects, but a lower relapse rate. Whether to undergo autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation depends on the specific type of disease and the patient's individual circumstances.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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How is leukemia diagnosed?

When a routine blood test suggests the possibility of leukemia, further diagnostic tests such as bone marrow aspiration, biopsy, and immunophenotyping are required to confirm the diagnosis. Leukemia can be divided into acute leukemia and chronic leukemia. Acute leukemia includes acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute myeloid leukemia is further categorized into eight types, from M0 to M7. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is divided into three subtypes: L1 to L3. Chronic leukemia can be divided into chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

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Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
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Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia Classification

Chronic granulocytic leukemia is a myeloproliferative tumor originating from pluripotent stem cells, characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome or changes in the BCR/ABL fusion gene. Chronic granulocytic leukemia progresses through four stages: asymptomatic, chronic, accelerated, and blast crisis phases. Most patients are diagnosed after the onset of symptoms. Only a very few patients are diagnosed through routine physical examinations or other reasons when blood abnormalities are discovered. The earliest symptoms experienced during the chronic phase of the illness typically include fatigue, dizziness, and abdominal discomfort. The accelerated phase is a transitional stage before the blast crisis, marking a turning point where the disease worsens. It is often difficult to distinctly separate the accelerated phase from the blast crisis, and about 20%-25% of patients may enter the blast crisis phase directly without passing through the accelerated phase.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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The Difference Between Acute Leukemia and Chronic Leukemia

The difference between acute and chronic leukemia lies in the maturity stage of the leukemia cells. Acute leukemia is characterized by more immature leukemia cells, while chronic leukemia cells tend to be more mature. Acute leukemia is further divided into acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Among them, acute myeloid leukemia is subdivided into eight types, from M0 to M7. Chronic leukemia is divided into two main categories: chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia. As the name suggests, acute leukemia has a rapid onset and a shorter survival period, whereas chronic leukemia develops more slowly and has a longer life expectancy.