What are the common symptoms at diagnosis?
The symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia often mimic more common illnesses of childhood. These symptoms are related to reduced numbers of normal bone marrow and blood cells. Patients develop anemia because of low numbers of the red blood cells; they often appear pale with fast heart rates, and, sometimes, they feel lightheaded and tire out easily. Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia often bruise more easily and get more nosebleeds because the cells that clot blood (platelets) are low in number. Patients often have several weeks of unexplained fever before acute lymphoblastic leukemia is diagnosed. Sometimes, these fevers are because of infections; other times, they are because of the leukemia itself. About 25% of patients experience bone pain for days to weeks before the diagnosis, especially in the pelvis, the spine, and the legs. About 50% of patients develop swollen lymph nodes in the neck, under the armpits, or in the groin. The liver and the spleen, usually tucked benea
