Symptoms of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

The symptoms of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are frequently ambiguous and are caused by a variety of factors. They are as follows:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Sweats at night
• Loss of weight
• Fever
• Bone ache (caused by leukemia cells spreading from the marrow cavity to the surface of the bone or into the joint)
• A spleen that has grown in size (felt as a mass under the left side of the ribcage)
• Intense pain or a feeling of "fullness" in the stomach
• Feeling satiated after only a tiny amount of food

However, they aren't simply CML symptoms. They can occur with different cancers as well as a variety of non-cancerous diseases.

Because the leukemia cells replace the bone marrow's normal blood-making cells, many of the signs and symptoms of chronic myeloid leukemia develop. As a result, patients with CML don't produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells that work correctly, or platelets.

Also Read: Phases of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Problems caused by a shortage of blood cells

Anemia: is characterized by a lack of red blood cells. It can make you feel weak, weary, and short of breath.

Leukopenia.: A paucity of normal white blood cells is known as leukopenia. Infections are more likely as a result of scarcity. Even though patients with leukemia have a high number of white blood cells, the leukemia cells do not protect the body against infection as regular white blood cells do.

Neutropenia: Neutropenia is defined as a low level of normal neutrophils. Neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, are critical in the battle against bacterial infection. Neutropenic people are at a higher risk of developing life-threatening bacterial infections.

Thrombocytopenia: A lack of blood platelets is known as thrombocytopenia. It can cause easy bruising or bleeding, as well as nosebleeds and bleeding gums on a regular or severe basis. Some chronic myeloid leukemia patients have an abnormally high number of platelets (thrombocytosis). However, because platelets don't always work as they should, these people frequently have bleeding and bruises.

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Reference:

1. Frazer R, Irvine AE, McMullin MF. Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in The 21st Century. Ulster Med J. 2007 Jan;76(1):8-17. PMID: 17288299; PMCID: PMC1940291.