How Is Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Found?
At this time, there are no special tests that can find acute leukemia early. The best course of action is to report any symptoms to the doctor right away. Leukemia can cause many signs and symptoms, some of them very general in nature. Keep in mind that the symptoms mentioned below are most often caused by something other than cancer. General symptoms of ALL can include: • weight loss • fever • loss of appetite • anemia • infection • bruising • bleeding • frequent or severe nosebleeds • bleeding from the gums Most symptoms of ALL are caused by a shortage of normal blood cells, a result of the crowding out of normal blood cell-producing bone marrow by leukemia cells. As a result, the person doesn’t have enough properly working red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Anemia is a result of a shortage of red blood cells. Anemia causes shortness of breath, fatigue, and a pale skin color. Not having enough normal white blood cells can increase the risk of infection. Although peopl
