Leukaemia: The Early Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Feeling unusually tired. Bruising more easily than normal. Getting one infection after another.

Individually, these symptoms can have many harmless explanations. But when they persist, worsen or begin occurring together, they can sometimes signal that something more serious is happening.

As Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month begins on 15 August, it’s an important opportunity to understand leukaemia, recognise possible warning signs and know when it’s time to speak to a healthcare professional.

What Is Leukaemia?

Leukaemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood-forming tissues of the body, including the bone marrow.

Bone marrow normally produces the different blood cells your body needs: red blood cells to carry oxygen, white blood cells to help fight infection and platelets to help your blood clot.

With leukaemia, abnormal blood cells can multiply uncontrollably and interfere with the production and function of healthy blood cells.

There are several different forms of leukaemia, including acute and chronic types. Some develop quickly, while others progress more slowly.

Because the symptoms can initially resemble common illnesses, leukaemia is not always immediately obvious.

7 Possible Warning Signs of Leukaemia

Having one of these symptoms does not mean that you have leukaemia. Many are associated with much more common conditions.

However, persistent or unexplained symptoms should be assessed rather than ignored.

1. Persistent Fatigue

Everyone feels tired occasionally, particularly during stressful or busy periods.

But fatigue associated with anaemia can feel different. You may feel weak, unusually exhausted or short of breath despite getting enough rest.

In leukaemia, abnormal cells can interfere with the body’s ability to produce sufficient healthy red blood cells. Because red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, a reduced number can contribute to fatigue and weakness.

If you are constantly exhausted without an obvious explanation, particularly if this is a change from your normal energy levels, speak to a healthcare professional.

2. Frequent or Persistent Infections

White blood cells form an important part of your immune system.

Although someone with leukaemia may have an abnormal number of white blood cells, these cells may not function properly.

This can make it more difficult for the body to fight infection.

Recurring infections, infections that seem unusually severe or infections that don’t improve as expected should therefore be discussed with a doctor.

3. Easy Bruising or Bleeding

Are you suddenly noticing bruises without remembering how you got them?

A reduction in healthy platelets can affect the body’s ability to form blood clots normally.

Possible signs can include:

• Bruising more easily than usual
• Frequent nosebleeds
• Bleeding gums
• Small red or purple spots on the skin
• Cuts that seem to bleed for longer than expected

Again, there are many potential causes of bruising and bleeding. The important thing is to pay attention when it becomes frequent, unexplained or noticeably different from what is normal for you.

4. Unexplained Fever or Night Sweats

A fever usually occurs because your immune system is responding to an infection.

But recurrent or persistent fevers without an obvious cause should be investigated.

Some people with leukaemia may also experience significant night sweats.

If you’re regularly waking up drenched in sweat despite sleeping in a comfortable environment, particularly alongside other symptoms such as fatigue, fever or unexplained weight loss, mention it to your doctor.

5. Unexplained Weight Loss

Weight naturally fluctuates, especially when your diet, exercise habits or lifestyle changes.

What deserves attention is losing a noticeable amount of weight when you haven’t deliberately changed anything.

Unexplained weight loss or persistent loss of appetite can occur with many different medical conditions and should be assessed if it continues.

6. Swollen Lymph Nodes

Your lymph nodes are part of your immune system and can commonly become enlarged when your body is fighting an infection.

You may notice swollen lymph nodes around your neck, under your arms or in your groin.

A swollen lymph node associated with a cold or infection will often improve once you’ve recovered.

If a lump or enlarged lymph node remains, continues growing or appears without an obvious explanation, it’s worth having it checked.

7. Bone or Joint Pain

Bone and joint pain have countless potential causes, from exercise and injuries to arthritis and everyday strain.

However, some forms of leukaemia can cause bone or joint discomfort as abnormal cells accumulate in the bone marrow.

Persistent or unexplained pain, particularly when accompanied by other symptoms, should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

One Symptom Doesn’t Equal a Diagnosis

Reading a list of symptoms online can understandably be worrying.

It is important to remember that fatigue, bruising, infections, fever and swollen lymph nodes are all far more commonly caused by conditions other than leukaemia.

Symptoms cannot diagnose leukaemia.

A doctor will consider your symptoms, medical history and physical health and determine whether further investigation is appropriate.

If there is reason for concern, a simple blood test such as a full blood count can provide important information about your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Further testing may then be recommended if abnormalities are identified.

Why Stem Cell Donors Matter

For some patients with leukaemia and other blood disorders, a blood stem cell transplant may form an important part of treatment.

Finding a compatible donor, however, is not always easy.

According to DKMS Africa, only around 30% of patients requiring a transplant find a suitable donor within their family, meaning many patients depend on an unrelated donor registered on a stem cell donor database.

There is also a common misconception that stem cell donation always means undergoing surgery to remove bone marrow.

In South Africa, most stem cell donations are instead performed using peripheral blood stem cell collection, where stem cells are collected from the bloodstream in a process similar in principle to donating blood.

Simply registering as a potential donor could one day mean being identified as a match for someone who needs a transplant.

Pay Attention to Changes in Your Body

You know what feels normal for you.

The occasional bruise, tired week or infection is usually nothing to panic about. But persistent symptoms, unusual combinations of symptoms or changes that you cannot explain deserve attention.

The goal of awareness is not to make people afraid of ordinary symptoms.

It’s to encourage us not to continually dismiss what our bodies may be telling us.

Start With a Conversation

If you’ve noticed persistent fatigue, unusual bruising, repeated infections, unexplained weight loss or another change that concerns you, a medical consultation is a good place to start.

A healthcare professional can assess your symptoms and determine whether you need blood tests, an in-person examination or further investigation.

With telemedicine, getting that initial medical advice doesn’t always require taking hours out of your day to visit a doctor’s rooms.

TruMD connects you with qualified healthcare professionals through convenient online consultations, helping you get professional medical advice when you need it.

If something has been worrying you, don’t keep putting it off.

Talk to a doctor with TruMD.