Identifying Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Common Signs and Symptoms

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Symptoms​

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a type of aggressive cancer that affects your bone marrow and blood. The treatment for acute myeloid leukemia is usually to eliminate the leukemia cells and to allow the body to produce normal blood cells. 

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Symptoms​

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is typically characterized as a blood cancer that is rather progressed and slowly develops. CML usually does not show symptoms in the initial stage but is manifested during progressed stages of the disease. Here are some common symptoms:

Early Stage (Chronic Phase)

• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Night sweats
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Feeling full quickly (due to an enlarged spleen)
• Mild abdominal discomfort

Advanced Stage (Accelerated or Blast Phase)

• Increased weakness and fatigue
• Bone pain
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Frequent infections
• Shortness of breath
• Pale skin (due to anemia)
• Swelling or pain in the left side of the abdomen (from an enlarged spleen)

Myeloid Leukemia Warning Signs​

CML and AML are types of myeloid leukemia which can be easily diagnosed but may manifest signs slowly and may also show symptoms in acute or chronic manner. Here is the list of common symptoms of myeloid leukemia:

Common Symptoms of Myeloid Leukemia:

• Fatigue and weakness: they invariably describe situations where an individual finds himself feeling very exhausted even if he has not done much work.
• Unexplained weight loss can point to many different causes such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and other diseases that result in the loss of lean body mass.
• Frequent Infections – Recurrent infections due to weakened immunity.
• In minor injuries, bleeding – New bruises, frequent nose bleeding, or bleeding of the gum.
• Shortness of Breath – Difficulty breathing even with mild activity.
• Fever & Night Sweats – Persistent fever without infection, excessive sweating at night.
• Joint Pains or Tenderness –Pain in Joints and is more defined by joint tenderness specially to touch.
• Since the condition is characterized by leukemia, causes may include swollen gums or skin changes such as rashes or small red spots.
• Some common medical conditions observed include: Enlarged spleen or splenomegaly is characterized by fullness or pain in the left side of the abdomen.

Myeloid Leukemia Fatigue Symptoms​

Fatigue can be said to be among the earliest and most unchanging signs of myeloid leukemia (AML/CML). There are two types and it is not necessarily the same as mere exhaustion, which has the potential to even affect certain activities.

• Persistent Tiredness
• Weakness
• Shortness of Breath
• Dizziness or Lightheadedness
• Lack of Energy
• Pale Skin
• Frequent Need to Rest

Myeloid Leukemia Bone Pain​

Bone pain is detected considerably in most patients with myeloid leukemia such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). It happens because normal bone marrow is replaced by leukemia cells, thus causing pressure and inflammation.

Symptoms of Bone Pain in Myeloid Leukemia:

• It also includes severe pain that occurs in the joints and bones, mainly in the bones of the limbs such as legs and arms.
• Sensitivity when touched in affected parts of the body, such as the breast.
• Some pain that is provoked by certain instances such as pain that is likely to increase at night or during movement.
• Some of these are lower back, rib, hip or sternum ache, all of which are areas often affected by leukemia.
• Intermittent or less commonly as a continuous discomfort or pain.

Myeloid Leukemia Fever Symptoms​

Fever is one of the non-specific signs of myeloid leukemia (both AML, CML). It can be an indication of another infection or simply a result of the direct impact of leukemia on the body’s immune system.

Signs and Symptoms of Fever in Myeloid Leukemia:

• This could be in form of a low grade fever or recurrent fever that ranges from 100.4°F or 38°C and above.
• Unexplained fever without signs of infection.
• Sometimes may have chills and shivering; these symptoms may appear and disappear later on.
• Such as night sweats, waking up in the morning drenched in sweat.
• Symptoms similar to a viral influenza: body aches or general weakness.
• Fatigue and dizziness due to fever-related dehydration.

Myeloid Leukemia Weight Loss​

Weight Loss is one of the signs that are related to myeloid leukemia (Acute Myeloid leukemia (AML) and Chronic Myeloid leukemia (CML)). The causes include; increased energy demand in the body, metabolic changes as a result of cancer or loss of appetite.

Symptoms of Weight Loss in Myeloid Leukemia:

• Unintentional weight loss, weight loss bigger than 5% of the initial body weight within a few months.
• Reduced appetite – Appetite decrease, not feeling hungry all the time.
• Lack of nutrient due to non-availability of food results in muscle weakness or wasting.
• Fatigue and low energy from inadequate calorie intake.

Myeloid Leukemia Infection Symptoms​

The patients diagnosed with myeloid leukemia (acute leukemia myeloid (AML) and chronic leukemia myeloid (CML)) have a compromised immune system thus exposing them to various infections. It is due to a disease called leukemia that impacts on the normal production of the white blood cells which means the body will not be strong enough to fight for infections.

Common Symptoms of Infection in Myeloid Leukemia:

• Fever
• Chills & Sweating
• Frequent or Severe Infections
• Cough, Sore Throat or Shortness of Breath
• Skin Redness, Swelling or Sores
• Mouth Sores or Gum Infections
• Slow Healing of Wounds
• Fatigue & Weakness

Myeloid Leukemia Bleeding Gums​

Bleeding gums is among the signs of myeloid leukemia (AML and CML). This is expected from the reduction in platelets in the blood known as thrombocytopenia that are critical in clotting of the blood.

Symptoms of Bleeding Gums in Myeloid Leukemia:

• Delayed or uncontrollable bleeding after brushing or flossing one’s teeth.
• Inflammation, color and tenderness of the gums (can be due to some gum problems).
• It is the condition that occurs when someone starts to have bleeding gums without any apparent reason.
• Small red or purple spots on the gums due to tiny blood vessel leaks.
• Problems of controlling bleeding from slight injuries on oral cavity.

Myeloid Leukemia Enlarged Spleen​

Enlarged Spleen is one of the common characteristics of CML and may also present in the first phase of AML. This is because of its role in filtering abnormal leukemia cells that are produced to check their presence in the blood.

Symptoms of an Enlarged Spleen in Myeloid Leukemia:

• Pain in the left upper abdomen that may move to the left shoulder.
• Sensing fullness soon after taking anything for meals because of the effect caused by the spleen compressing the stomach.
• Malnutrition: weight loss, loss of appetite and no identifiable cause.
• Fatigue and weakness due to anemia.
• Recurrent infections are that the spleen can filter normal white blood cells.
• Tenderness in the spleen area and frequent bruises or cuts (platelets are stored in the spleen).