Does Leukemia Cause Stomach Pain

Symptoms From An Enlarged Thymus

The T-cell subtype of ALL often affects the thymus, which is a small organ in the middle of the chest behind the sternum and in front of the trachea . An enlarged thymus can press on the trachea, which can lead to coughing or trouble breathing.

The superior vena cava , a large vein that carries blood from the head and arms back to the heart, passes next to the thymus. If the thymus is enlarged, it may press on the SVC, causing the blood to back up in the veins. This is known as SVC syndrome. It can cause:

• Swelling in the face, neck, arms, and upper chest
• Headaches
• Change in consciousness if it affects the brain

The SVC syndrome can be life-threatening, and needs to be treated right away.

Bone And Joint Pain And Leukemia

Bone and joint pain are some of the most common symptoms of leukemia. They may occur as early symptoms or later in the disease as a result of treatment. According to a 2018 survey by Leukaemia Care in the United Kingdom, 20 percent of people with leukemia experienced bone or joint pain before receiving their diagnosis.

Bone pain is most commonly felt in the long bones in the arms and legs, as well as in the ribs and sternum . Joint pain tends to affect the large joints, such as those in the hips and shoulders.

Bone pain in leukemia usually occurs as the result of the accumulation of cancerous white blood cells in the bone marrow. This buildup exerts pressure on the nerves inside the bone tissue, leading to soreness, aching, or sharp pain.

Similarly, joint pain can occur when leukemia cells collect inside the joints or around the surface of the bones. Many MyLeukemiaTeam members report experiencing joint pain with leukemia. One shared that they were having joint pain and fatigue, while another member wrote, My knee is hurting really bad. This pain is in addition to my bone and joint pain.

Signs Of Childhood Cancer

Headaches, often with early morning vomitingIncreased swelling or persistent pain in bones, joints, back, or legsLump or mass, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis, or armpitsDevelopment of excessive bruising, bleeding, or rashConstant infectionsA whitish color behind the pupilNausea which persists or vomiting without nauseaConstant tiredness or noticeable palenessEye or vision changes which occur suddenly and persistRecurrent or persistent fevers of unknown origin

Childhood cancer is rare. It is unlikely that your child will develop cancer. Still, as a parent, you need to be aware of the symptoms of childhood cancer.

Observe your child for any sudden, persistent changes in health or behavior as listed above. Since most of the symptoms of cancer can also be attributed to benign conditions, the diagnosis of cancer can be a long process. You must trust your own instinct and work as a team with your doctor, using your knowledge of your child and your doctor’s knowledge of medicine to protect your child’s health.

Chances are that your child will not get cancer: the odds of your child developing cancer by the age of 19 is approximately 1 in 330. But, cancer is second only to accidents as a cause of death in children.

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Ringworm And Other Fungal Infections

Leukemia affects your immune system, and this can make it harder to build an immune response against fungal and other infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that these types of infections can affect people with leukemia in different ways and for different reasons, depending on the type of leukemia and treatment options.

Some fungal infections can become life threatening. It is essential to follow your doctors instructions about how to prevent them and what to do if they happen.

• Ringworm. This is a fungal infection, also called tinea, that can appear on your skin as a circular rash. It is often itchy.
• Nail infections. These can cause your nail to change color, crack, break, and fall off. It may be linked to a fungal infection on your skin.
• Candida. Candida is a fungus that lives on your skin and does not usually cause problems, but it can lead to a rash if your immune system is affected by leukemia.

Many types of fungal infection can affect people with leukemia. Its best to ask your doctor as soon as you notice any changes so they can help you manage them.

Symptoms Of Systemic Mastocytosis

• Ulcers in the stomach and duodenum

• Headache

• Heart palpitations, an irregular or unusually rapid beating of the heart

• Bone pain

• Anemia, a low red blood cell count, which can cause fatigue

• Psychological changes

The symptoms of systemic mastocytosis can sometimes occur as attacks, where more than 1 symptom appears at the same time. Following an attack, the person may feel tired and lethargic.

If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor or a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in skin conditions. Your doctor will ask how long and how often youve been experiencing the symptom, in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.

If mastocytosis is diagnosed, relieving symptoms is an important part of your care and treatment. This may also be called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. You may use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

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Chest Pain And Difficulty Breathing And Leukemia

In people with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia , cancer cells frequently cluster around the thymus an organ in the immune system that produces defensive T cells. The thymus is located in the chest. The accumulation of these leukemic cells around the thymus can cause chest pain, as well as difficulty breathing.

Leukemia Symptom Or Treatment Side Effect

It can be difficult to tell the difference between symptoms of leukemia and side effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation, or other treatments used to fight it. Some manifestations are more likely to be side effects of treatment options rather than symptoms directly caused by leukemia. These include:

• Hair loss
• Constipation
• Mouth sores

Symptoms of leukemia and side effects from treatments are likely to be different for each person, depending on many factors. Be sure to report any new or worsening symptoms or side effects to your doctor. Many symptoms and side effects can be managed with medications or lifestyle changes.

Leukemia Condition Guide

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Physical Therapy And Exercise

Physical therapy and exercise can help manage pain with leukemia. Your doctor may use several pain management techniques, including massage, exercise therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy.

A TENS unit delivers low-voltage electrical impulses through pads placed on the skin to help block the perception of pain. One MyLeukemiaTeam member recommended this approach, writing, I bought a TENS unit works wonders on pain.

Leukemia Diagnosis And Treatment At Moffitt Cancer Center

Moffitt Cancer Centers Malignant Hematology Program is home to several oncologists who exclusively diagnose and treat blood and bone marrow cancers. Our team treats all types of leukemia and offers a full range of diagnostic technologies under one roof.

Symptoms of leukemias are frequently non-specific and overlap with other illnesses therefore, it is important to seek care early to avoid delay in diagnosis., says Onyee Chan, MD, Malignant Hematology

If youd like to discuss your leukemia symptoms with one of Moffitts experienced oncologists, call or submit a new patient registration form online. No referral is required to request an appointment.

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Tiredness Breathlessness Pale Complexion

Caused by anaemia

Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. If you dont have enough red blood cells, you can become anaemic. Anaemia can cause tiredness that doesnt go away with rest or sleep, breathlessness even when youre resting, and paleness . Pallor can be seen by pulling down your lower eyelid the inside will look white or pale pink, rather than dark pink or red.

Other symptoms of anaemia include feeling faint and headaches.

Symptoms By Type Of Leukemia

While the symptoms above may be found with nearly any type of leukemia, there are some symptoms that are more common with different types of the disease.

Acute leukemias are characterized by immature white blood cells that do not function properly, leading to a more visible array of symptoms. With chronic leukemias, the cells may function to a degree and, as such, may have less obvious symptoms.

Symptoms related to the different subtypes of leukemia include:

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What Do Leukemia Spots Look Like

Medically Reviewed by: Dr. BautistaUpdated on: June 5, 2020

People who have leukemia are prone to skin-related problems. These range from rashes to bruises and are commonly seen in both children and adults.

When discussing how is leukemia diagnosed and what are the early signs on leukemia you may have heard of leukemia spots. But what do leukemia spots look like and how do you know if its that or a common rash?

Lets take a closer look at what leukemia is and what you can expect in a leukemia rash, so you can know when its time to seek medical help.

Allergic Reactions To Treatment

Some drugs can cause skin rashes.

Morbilliform drug eruption is a common immune reaction to prescription drugs. People with a weakened immune system have a higher risk of developing this type of rash.

A rash may appear 12 weeks after starting a drug, but it can occur up to a week after finishing the medication. If you start taking the drug again, the rash may come back after 12 days.

It usually:

• involves papules or flat macules
• changes in your skin color that may become pale with pressure but regain their color on releasing the pressure
• starts on your trunk and spreads to both sides of your body, on the limbs and neck

Skin may become pink to red on any skin tone. The changes in color may be harder to see on darker skin, or the pink or red may be darker.

In most cases, complications dont arise, and the rash goes away after stopping the drug. But its important not to stop using any medication without first checking with your doctor.

Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other cancer treatments can also cause a rash, dry skin, and other skin changes. Before starting any new treatment, speak with your doctor about what to expect and when to ask for help.

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Symptoms Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML is also known as acute myelogenous leukemia. Similar to ALL, AML can also cause anemia, a low level of red blood cells. Anemia may result in:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath

Infections are common in people with AML since they often have a shortage of healthy white blood cells, which function in the immune system to fight viruses and bacteria. Abnormal cells cannot fight infection.

Low levels of platelets may result in abnormal bleeding, bruising, and heavy menstrual periods.

AML can cause swelling in thelymph nodes and spleen . Splenomegaly can cause abdominal discomfort and feeling full early in a meal. AML can also spread to the brain and spinal cord , testes, kidneys, gums, and skin.

Leukostasis occurs when AML causes high numbers of abnormally large white blood cells called blasts to clog the blood vessels. Rare but dangerous, leukostasis requires emergency medical attention. Symptoms of leukostasis include:

• Headache
• Weakness on one side of the body

Frequent And Unexplained Bleeding

Leukemia also causes spontaneous and excessive bleeding. Nosebleeds and bleeding gums are common. Larger than normal amounts of blood may flow from small wounds, and wounds often take much longer to close and repair. Women may experience extremely heavy menstrual blood flow. This sign occurs because leukemia leads to low platelet count, which alters the body’s clotting mechanism.

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Abnormal Bleeding Under The Skin

Leukemia disrupts the bodys production of blood cell platelets. Platelets are what help the blood to clot and to stop abnormal bleeding. When platelets become low, bruises can happen more easily. When talking about what does leukemia look like, many of our patients will notice they bruise spontaneously or without much force to warrant a typical bruise.

Leukemia bruises might resemble a normal bruise, but you might find there are more of them than usual. Sometimes, theyll occur in an unusual area of the body, like the back. 3

Symptoms Caused By High Numbers Of Leukemia Cells

The cancer cells in AML are bigger than normal white blood cells and have more trouble going through tiny blood vessels. If the blast count gets very high, these cells can clog up blood vessels and make it hard for normal red blood cells to get to tissues. This is called leukostasis. Leukostasis is rare, but it is a medical emergency that needs to be treated right away. Some of the symptoms are like those seen with a stroke, and include:

• Headache
• Weakness in one side of the body
• Slurred speech
• Confusion
• Sleepiness

When blood vessels in the lungs are affected, people can have shortness of breath. Blood vessels in the eye can be affected as well, leading to blurry vision or even loss of vision.

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Swollen Lymph Glands Or Abdominal Discomfort From An Enlarged Spleen

In CLL, you can have swollen glands . The swollen glands are most often in your neck or under your arms. You may also get an enlarged spleen. The spleen is an organ on the left of your body, just under your ribs. If your spleen becomes much bigger than normal, it can be uncomfortable or painful. Your doctor may be able to feel that the spleen is enlarged.

Other Symptoms Of Cll

About 5075% of people with CLL do not experience noticeable symptoms. Due to this, doctors diagnose most people with CLL during routine blood work.

The symptoms of CLL often begin when the cancerous cells crowd out healthy cells in the bone marrow or migrate to other organs or tissues. When symptoms first appear, they are typically mild, but they then become increasingly severe. CLL can cause many nonspecific symptoms, so a person may feel as though they have a cold or the flu.

Possible symptoms of CLL that do not relate to the abdominal area include:

• swollen lymph nodes

Chemotherapy is typically the first-line therapy for CLL.

Doctors may use chemotherapy in conjunction with other treatment options, such as monoclonal antibody therapy. This therapy binds antibodies to cancer cells and destroys them. Treatment can also include medications to treat or prevent infections or improve low blood cell levels.

For instance, some people may take a combination of the monoclonal antibody rituximab and the chemotherapy drugs fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. Alongside the oral chemotherapy medication chlorambucil, doctors use obinutuzumab or ofatumumab, which have the same drug target as rituximab.

Small molecule inhibitors, such as bendamustine hydrochloride, idelalisib, and ibrutinib, can also sometimes form part of a CLL treatment regimen.

In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration approved the combination medication Rituxan Hyecela for CLL treatment.

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Symptoms In Young Children

Symptoms of leukemia can be difficult to detect in younger children who may only able to communicate by crying. The only other signs may be as a lack of appetite, the refusal to eat, or the appearance of a limp due to a bone or joint pain.

Some of the symptoms are easier to understand in the context of the effect leukemia has on specific blood cells produced by the bone marrow, since many of the signs are related to either an excess or deficiency of these cells.

Leukemia affects white blood cells, but also frequently affects other cells produced by the bone marrow by interfering with their production or crowding out the bone marrow. Cells manufactured by the bone marrow include:

• Red blood cells : Red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues of the body. A low red blood cell count is referred to as anemia.
• White blood cells : WBCs fight off infections due to organisms such as bacteria and viruses. A low WBC count is referred to as leukopenia. One type of WBC, neutrophils, are particularly important in fighting off the bacteria that cause infections such as pneumonia. A deficiency of neutrophils is referred to as neutropenia.
• Platelets: Platelets or thrombocytes are the cells produced by the bone marrow that are responsible for blood clotting. A low platelet count is referred to as thrombocytopenia.

Symptoms In Different Skin Tones

Some symptoms of blood cancer can look different on different skin tones.

• Bruises generally start as red patches which change colour and get darker over time. They often feel tender. On black and brown skin, bruises may be difficult to see initially, but as they develop, they show up as darker than the skin around them.
• Rashes often appear as clusters of tiny spots or larger blotches . On black and brown skin, they may look purple or darker than the surrounding skin. On lighter skin, they typically look red or purple. If you press on them, petechiae and purpura dont fade.
• Paleness might mean someone looks unusually pale because they have too few red blood cells. Pallor is often more immediately noticeable in light skin. People with black or brown skin may look greyish and their palms may look paler than usual. They might also notice pallor in their lips, gums, tongue or nail beds. In all skin tones, pallor can be seen by pulling down the lower eyelid. The inside is normally dark pink or red, but if its pale pink or white, its a sign of pallor.

You can read more about the causes of these symptoms and others below.

We’d like to thank theACLT for their help reviewing this information. ACLT raises awareness about stem cell, blood and organ donation in all UK communities, with a focus on the African and Caribbean communities.

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