Leukemia Small Red Spots

Probably about the fastest is a type of lung cancer called small cell lung carcinoma where, untreated, death is usual in weeks. Acute leukemia, untreated, can kill in days, although weeks is probably more likely.

There are a number of types of leukemia and some are more deadly than others. The basic statement of course is untreated leukemia is always fatal. Leukemia is one of those cancers for which modern treatment has created a high percentage of cures.

Signs and symptoms usually develop gradually. People with a chronic leukemia often complain that they just do not feel well. The disease is often found during a routine blood test. Other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as leukemia. See your doctor if you have: fatigue; a general feeling of discomfort or illness (called malaise) loss of appetite; weight loss; fever; shortness of breath; paleness; rapid heartbeat (called palpitations) weakness; dizziness

They also may get anemia, which is when there’s a low number of red blood cells. This happens because leukemia cells crowd the bone marrow. This prevents bone marrow from making the usual amount of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

Life expectancy for this kind of leukemia may be 10 years, 20 years or even longer. Leukemia life expectancy also depends on the type of blood cells affected by the cancer. There are two groups of leukemia: lymphocytic and myelogenous, which are further divided into sub-groups, each with differing survival rates.

The prognosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is rather mixed. Most patients will live for 5 to 10 years.

The final phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia refers to the phase when the percentage of cancerous cells exceeds thirty percent. A variety of distressing symptoms may be experienced in this phase. If the treatment options work, the disease may go in remission. At times, leukemia could also relapse.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a life-threatening medical condition where myelocytes turn to be cancerous and quickly replace a normal cell in the bone marrow.

Studies show that for leukemia patients, infections were the most common cause of death, most often bacterial infections but also fungal infections or a combination of the two. Bleeding was also a fairly common cause of death, often in the brain, lungs or digestive tract.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is one of several subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia, a blood cancer that originates in a person’s bone marrow. APL is caused by a genetic mutation, but it is not a hereditary condition. APL is a potentially life-threatening disease; however, it is the most curable form of adult leukemia.

For other people, the leukemia may never go away completely. Some people may get regular treatments with chemotherapy or other therapies to try to help keep the leukemia under control and help relieve symptoms from it. Learning to live with leukemia that doesn’t go away can be difficult and very stressful.

Depends: Leukemia is one of those cancers for which modern treatment has created a high percentage of cures. This is age related; the younger the better. There are a number of types of leukemia and some are more deadly than others. The basic statement of course is untreated leukemia is always fatal.

“Your heart is having to work twice as hard to make up for the lack of red blood cells,” she says. Patients with pre-existing heart conditions who develop leukemia might also experience chest pains. This should go without saying, but if your heart is acting up, have someone take you to the emergency room.

If related to leukemia, symptoms may hint at the type of the disease that is present, but many symptoms overlap and are not this specific. Leukemia cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone, but an awareness of them can suggest when further evaluation is needed.

Also caused by anemia, dizziness as well as lightheadedness may accompany fatigue and weakness. A loss of red blood cells from anemia means that there’s also a shortage of oxygen in your cells. This is the most likely cause of these early-stage AML symptoms.

Fever often goes along with the infection. Although people with AML can have high white blood cell counts due to excess numbers of leukemia cells, these cells don’t protect against infection the way normal white blood cells do. Symptoms from low blood platelet counts Platelets normally help stop bleeding.

They also may get anemia, which is when there’s a low number of red blood cells. This happens because leukemia cells crowd the bone marrow. This prevents bone marrow from making the usual amount of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

Leukemia starts in the bone marrow—the soft, spongy material inside bones where blood cells develop from stem cells. Leukemia most often affects the white blood cells, which protect the body against infection.

Abnormal levels of white blood cells and abnormally low red blood cell or platelet counts can also indicate leukemia . If you test positive for leukemia, your doctor will perform a biopsy of your bone marrow to determine which type you have.

Because some conditions occur as side effects of the disease, the following may be signs of leukemia: Anemia: A low red blood cell count. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. This condition may contribute to weakness, fatigue or shortness of breath.