Early Signs And Symptoms Of Blood Cancer You Should Not Miss

Several kinds of cancer can attack the cells which make up your blood. Symptoms of such cancers usually come and go slowly. There are times when you might not even notice common symptoms of blood cancer. In fact, some people experience no symptoms of blood cancer at all. In this article, we will talk about some of the most common kinds of blood cancer and their early signs and symptoms which can help you in taking timely action and treatment.

Early signs and symptoms of common kinds of blood cancer

Leukemia

Leukemia begins in the bone marrow - where blood cells are made. Leukemia makes your body make white blood cells beyond control and make them live longer than they are supposed to. Unlike usual functioning of white blood cells, the ones formed in case of leukemia do not help your body fight infection. Some forms of leukemia are likely to get worse quickly. A person falls sick suddenly and it may seem as if the person is suffering from flu. Other forms of leukemia can take years to grow. Abnormal results in a routine blood test are the first sign of leukemia. Signs of leukemia mostly occur because the cancer cells prevent normal growth of healthy blood cells.

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Some common signs of leukemia are as follows:

1. Leukemia can make you fall sick more often. It also slows down the recovery process. Fever and night sweats are also common in case of leukemia.

2. Cancer cells may start growing in your tonsils, liver, lymph nodes and spleen. They may cause swelling.

3. Lumps can be felt in armpit or neck. One of the early signs of leukemia also include the person feeling full after eating only a small amount.

4. Unexpected and unusual weight loss is another symptom of leukemia.

5. Pain in bones may occur since cancer cells grow in bone marrow in case of leukemia.

6. Anemia: Anemia occurs when your body is unable to make enough red blood cells. It can cause dizziness and make you feel tired quite easily. Pain in chest and pale skin are also caused by anemia.

7. Poor clotting: Platelets are responsible for blood clotting. When your body doesn't make enough platelets, it may cause small cuts to bleed more than often. It may also cause your nose to bleed too often. Other symptoms include heavy periods, bowel movements which are black or streaked with red, red dots on skin from broken blood vessels and bleeding gums.

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Multiple Myeloma

Plasmas are another kind of disease-fighting cells in your blood stream. Multiple myeloma is a condition which makes plasma cells in bone marrow to grow beyond control. It prevents formation of healthy blood cells. This condition can also hurt your organs and tissues.

Symptoms of multiple myeloma appear late.

Following are common symptoms of multiple myeloma

1. This condition can cause high levels of calcium in the blood or hypercalcemia. This may result in confusion, constipation, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, excessive urination, stomach pain and nausea. It may also cause swelling in ankles, itchy skin and shortness of breath.

2. Another common sign of multiple myeloma is long-lasting bone pain. Pain will commonly occur in your back or ribs. With time, the condition will make bones weak and thin, thus making them break easily. Weak bones can cause weakness in your legs, tingling in arms and loss of bowel and bladder control.

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Lymphoma

White blood cells in the lymph system are known as lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are responsible for getting rid of waste from the body. In case of lymphoma, the lymphocytes grow out of control and make it difficult for the body to fight infections.

Common signs of lymphoma

1. A common sign of lymphoma is swollen lymph nodes.

2. Lymphoma may also result in lumps in groin, armpit and neck.

3. A person suffering from lymphoma is likely to experience pain in chest, bones, belly and shortness of breath.

4. Lymphoma may cause your spleen to get bigger, thus making you feel full or bloated.

5. Swollen lymph nodes will hurt while drinking alcohol.

6. Unexplained weight loss, fatigue, fever, night sweats and itchy skin are other common signs of lymphoma. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.