Leukemia symptoms in adults can end up being quite similar to cancer symptoms in children and symptoms of other illnesses, such as fatigue and fever. This can make a diagnosis quite challenging. Leukemia is a cancer that affects the development of blood cells.
It leads to the production of abnormal white blood cells, which can also affect the body’s capacity to produce healthy new blood cells and effectively respond to such infections. Leukemia can be grouped into different categories, which can also be differentiated based on how fast it progresses (acute versus chronic), or what kind of cells are affected (lymphocytic versus myeloid).
The most common signs of leukemia in adults
Here are some of the most common signs that adults might experience before their diagnosis:
Fatigue
This is the most extreme form of tiredness. Leukemia might have something to do with the body’s capacity to produce new blood cells, including red blood cells, which are fairly important for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Fatigue from leukemia also comes as a result of anemia, a shortage of red blood cells.
Fever and night sweats
People who suffer from leukemia can experience fever, which often leads to night sweats. Fever is one of the most telltale signs that you have an infection in your body, so it’s fairly possible that the body is simply trying to kill leukemia cells.
Easy bruising and bleeding
The effects of this type of cancer can also lead to lower levels of platelets, which are very important for blood clotting. Due to this, some people who suffer from leukemia could experience easy bruising, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, heavy menstrual periods, and even petechiae.
Aching in bones and joints
In some instances, leukemia cells can start to build up in joints or very close to the surface of the bone. When such cells gather in these areas, pressure can build up, which can further cause aching pain.
Constant infections
Leukemia can affect the number of healthy white blood cells in the body. Since such cells are essential for responding to an infection, people with leukemia suffer from recurring infections.
Unexplained weight loss
This can also be a sign of leukemia and other health conditions. This can be due to the fact that increased energy use from cancer cells provokes a loss of appetite. If you lost more than 5% of your body weight in 6 months to a year, it’s very important to consult a healthcare professional.
Shortness of breath
This is yet another leukemia symptom that relates to anemia. Since anemia causes a shortage of red blood cells, less oxygen is carried throughout the body. This can oftentimes lead to a shortness of breath. It’s your body trying to gather enough oxygen into the lungs.
Other mention-worthy symptoms
Of course, there might be other symptoms that an adult with leukemia could experience, such as:
- pale skin
- feeling dizzy and lightheaded
- loss of appetite
- swollen lymph nodes
- headaches
- a bigger spleen or liver
- abdominal discomfort
- nausea and vomiting
- numbness
Symptoms that females should know about specifically
Females should be particularly aware of other types of symptoms besides the ones discussed above. If leukemia is on the table as far as health concerns go, it’s fairly important to have any of these symptoms carefully evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Since leukemia can interfere with platelet production, people with leukemia can bleed more easily. Females with leukemia can experience heavier menstrual periods than usual, and significant spotting between periods.
Moreover, it’s very important to mention that some leukemia symptoms can be quite similar to those of menopause. These can include symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, and fatigue. There are also cases when pregnancy can mask symptoms of leukemia. For instance, fatigue is quite common during pregnancy, but it’s a symptom it shares with leukemia, too.
DISCLAIMER: This isn’t to say that if you experience any of these symptoms, you have leukemia.Â
Types that affect adults at different stages of life
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most common types of leukemia in kids and young adults alike. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the risk of the first one being higher in children under 5 years old, and slowly declining until the mid-20s.
On the other hand, Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is also the most common kind of leukemia in adults who are between 25 and 49 years old. But the ACS notes that it’s still quite uncommon before 45 years old.
But it can be common in people between 50 and 64 years, too. Moreover, another type of leukemia that could easily develop in the same age range is chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which is, coincidentally, the most common type in adults who are 65 years old. According to the ACS, the average age of CLL diagnosis can be 70 years old.
Another type is chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). As far as CML goes, the average age of diagnosis is 63, which is almost half of cases that are diagnosed in individuals 65 and older.
The main risk factors for developing leukemia in adults
There are many risk factors that are linked to developing adult leukemia. Some of them can include sex (since males are more likely to develop leukemia than FAABs, age (the chance of getting other types of leukemia increases as you advance in age), family history (having a close family member with leukemia), other cancer treatment (it’s fairly possible for people who’ve had chemotherapy to be more susceptible of it), and smoking.
Causes of leukemia in adults versus children
As a general rule, its symptoms can be similar, no matter the age. But there can be some key differences as far as cause goes, even if this could widely depend on the type of leukemia. For instance, there’s a 2018 study that examined the genetic features of ALL. After a thorough search on over 1,000 people of different ages with ALL, the researchers discovered that some genetic mutations that are associated with ALL are far more common in adults, but specific structural genetic variations seem to have occurred more in children.
There’s another 2018 study that dug into the differences in cancer between adults and kids. It was discovered that only 45% of examined genes associated with cancer were found both in kids and adults. All these findings prove that even if symptoms might be similar both in adults and children, the treatments could still differ.
When to go see a doctor
Since the symptoms can be quite similar to those of other common health conditions, more often than not it can be hard to schedule a medical appointment. That’s why it’s always advised to talk with a healthcare professional, especially if you notice concerning symptoms that might point towards it.
Some of the most relevant signs include persistent symptoms (meaning they don’t go away no matter what or they recur frequently), unexplained symptoms (such as fever, night sweats, and unintended weight loss), and new changes to your body (bruising, heavier periods, and swollen lymph nodes).
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