Leukemia is a blood cancer caused by a rise in the number of white blood cells in your body.
Those white blood cells crowd out the red blood cells and platelets that your body needs to be healthy. The extra white blood cells do not work right.
Leukemia Symptoms
Different types of leukemia can cause different problems. You might not notice any signs in the early stages of some forms. When you do have symptoms, they may include:
- Weakness or fatigue
- Bruising or bleeding easily
- Fever or chills
- Infections that are severe or keep coming back
- Pain in your bones or joints
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen lymph nodes or organs like your spleen
Leukemia Causes and Risk Factors
No one knows exactly what causes leukemia. People who have it have certain unusual chromosomes, but the chromosomes do not cause leukemia.
You cannot prevent leukemia, but certain things may trigger it. You might have a higher risk if you:
Smoke
- Are exposed to a lot of radiation or certain chemicals
- Had radiation therapy or chemotherapy to treat cancer
- Have a family history of leukemia
- Have a genetic disorder like Down syndrome
