Blood Cancer Awareness Month!

Blood cancers are cancers of the blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes that affect normal blood cell production or function. Leukemia is part of Blood Cancers (leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma) and September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and I using it as an opportunity to raise awareness of the symptoms of Leukemia (blood cancers), which are vague, non-specific and often confused for other illnesses, such as flu.

The signs and symptoms of leukaemia

Leukaemia can be hard to spot because the signs and symptoms are common to other unrelated illnesses. Knowing what to look out for could help you make the decision to visit your doctor sooner for a blood test. The six most common symptoms experienced by all leukaemia patients prior to diagnosis. These are:

1. Fatigue
2. Bruising or bleeding
3. Bone/joint pain
4. Fever or night sweats
5. Sleeping problems
6. Shortness of breath 

There are four main types of leukaemia that differ by the rate of cancer progression (acute or chronic) and the type of blood stem cell affected (myeloid or lymphoid). Certain leukaemia types are more common at different ages. This means the symptoms most frequently experienced by people of different ages prior to diagnosis can vary.

Other less frequently experienced symptoms of leukaemia are:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Stomach discomfort
• Nausea or vomiting
• Numbness in hands or feet
• Heart palpitations
• Loss of concentration
• Infections
• Headaches
• Muscle pain
• Back pain
• Itchy skin
• Weight loss

 If you spot several of the symptoms outlined above it could indicate a leukaemia diagnosis. This may not be the case, as the symptoms are common to other unrelated illnesses, but visiting the doctor earlier can be crucial for either ruling leukaemia out or getting an early diagnosis. Early diagnosis saves lives, don’t delay. If you are experiencing more severe symptoms, you may need to seek urgent medical care.