What Are the Main Hodgkin's Lymphoma Symptoms?

Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of lymphoma characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. These cells are seen in lymphocytes, particularly the T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes which are types of WBC's. Lymphocytes are part of your body's immune system, so it would be natural to have problems in fighting infections when you have lymphoma.

When a person has Hodgkin's lymphoma, one major sign is having an enlarged, non-tender, rubbery lymph node located at the neck, armpit, chest, or groin. However, some note presence of pain when alcohol is consumed. Hodgkin's lymphoma symptoms can also include difficulty of breathing, chest pain, or persistent cough due to a lymph node that is pressing on the air passages or lungs.

Other Hodgkin's lymphoma symptoms are unexplained weight loss, unexplained fever, and night sweats. Fatigue can result due to anemia brought about by a weakened production and storage of RBC in the bone marrow and spleen respectively. Three Hodgkin's lymphoma symptoms are called "B symptoms" which are weight loss, persistent fever, and night sweats. The presence of these symptoms is used when staging the disease and to determine just how aggressive the treatment would be.

Hodgkin's lymphoma symptoms can happen in any stages of the disease. However, most types of Hodgkin's lymphoma manifest Hodgkin's lymphoma symptoms when the disease is already at Stage III and Stage IV. This is why it is important to undergo biopsy and other tests to confirm the presence of lymphoma so proper treatment can be given to help fight the disease. A swollen lymph node may indicate just a simple infection, but if it lasts for more than two weeks without any sign of decreasing in size, an appointment with a doctor is a must.

Treatment can range from radiotherapy, chemotherapy, to bone marrow transplant. Never miss a treatment regimen and always maintain your regular check up so you and your doctor will know if the treatment is effective or needs modification. High chance of survival is noted in treating Hodgkin's lymphoma no matter what stage it was diagnosed, so never lose hope and join a support group to help you cope with the disease.

Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on Hodgkin's Lymphoma Symptoms, treatment, diagnosis, causes and much more.

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Identifying The Cause, Symptoms And Treatment Of Leukemia

No one in this world would ever want to get sick.  Getting sick is a hassle, a strain and a very big dilemma.  It prevents an individual from doing his activities of daily living.  There is no fun at all when people get sick.  But no matter how hard we try to hate the idea of being sick, if the immune system is weak and if we have lived a sedentary lifestyle, the chance of acquiring diseases is high.

There is a certain type of illness that we all hate and fear to have and it is so called cancer.  Cancer is a deadly disease and it accounts for almost half of the total mortality rate in the whole wide world.  It is scary to think that we might have the disease.  Only few have survived this health illness and we are still hoping that there will be more who will survive this disease.

Cancer has many types and you need to be aware or perhaps be educated about the different types so you will know the symptoms.  Most types of cancer are genetically acquired so if you have relatives who have suffered from cancer, better do some screening so you will know if you too have cancer.  It feels like you were hit by the strongest stun gun once you knew you have cancer.  Shocking and very heart breaking.  Other types of cancer develop because of an individual's diet and lifestyle.  Like lung cancer for instance.  Smoking is one major cause of lung cancer therefore if you have been smoking for a couple of years, better stop it otherwise you will develop lung cancer.

Leukemia is one type of cancer that all age groups can have.  The young and the old are not exempted from this and it is sad to know that many of the little ones have developed and suffered from this type of cancer.  Leukemia is characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells and it is one of the most dangerous of blood disorders. 

Since leukemia involves blood cells circulating through the body unlike other types of cancer which focus on the body tissues, it is sometimes not considered a true cancer.  However, leukemia cells when studied under the microscope behave like cancer cells found in tumors.  It affects the blood forming tissues such as the bone marrow resulting in an overproduction of white blood cells. 

Symptoms to all types of leukemias include that of fever, weight loss, fatigue, bone pain, anemia as expressed in paleness and an enlarged spleen.  Skin lesions may be visible and there is a tendency that it will bleed.  Infections may become even more common and the body becomes less responsive to treatment because of a loss of the normal blood cells that are needed to resist the disease similar to losing muscle control to fight back and escape when an attacker or a criminal is hit with a cheetah stun gun.

Biopsy of the bone marrow and careful blood studies helps identifying the disease.  The treatment is usually directed toward reducing the size of the spleen and the number of white blood cells in the blood. Antibiotics and administration of chemotherapeutic drugs are the treatment of leukemia.  If the cancer patient complies with all of this, life may be prolonged.

So if you know of someone with this type of disease, give support and always stand by his or her side.  It is not easy having this type of disease.  A cancer victim really needs to be strong and fight hard even though his life is already numbered.

Joseph Pressley is a certified TASER instructor and the co-founder of BestStunGun.com which provides non-lethal self defense products such as stun guns, TASERs and pepper sprays. Discover how stun guns and TASERs can save your life. Receive a free report on "Top 10 Self Defense Secrets Everyone Needs To Know". Limited amount available. Visit us and get your own copy now http://www.beststungun.com/

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What Are the Main Lymphoma Symptoms?

Lymphoma is a malignancy found in the lymphatic system, specifically in the lymphocytes. The lymphatic system is responsible in maintaining the body's defense against pathogens, as they are a part of the immune system of the body. In this article we are going to look at what the main Lymphoma symptoms are.

Lymphoma is divided into two main categories: Hodgkin's lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The main distinction is the presence in Reed-Sternberg cells in the malignant lymphocytes. These malignant cells are often found in T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes of the immune system. Hodgkin's lymphoma has Reed-Sternberg cells while the Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma does not have them.

Lymphoma symptoms are the same for Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Among the lymphoma signs and symptoms is presence of a large, rubbery, painless mass found in lymph nodes. This lump in the lymph node is due to the increasing number of malignant cells that accumulate in the lymph nodes. The malignancy spreads in an orderly manner. Meaning the tumor will spread on the next lymph node before proceeding to the other. Other symptoms include night sweats and anorexia (loss of appetite). Another manifestation of lymphoma is unexplained weight loss of more than 15 lbs in less than 2 months, as well as unexplained fever. Lymphoma symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distention are due to the metastasis of malignant cells in the spleen and liver. This often results to spleen and liver enlargement that can interfere with the function of the GI tract. If the malignancy is found in both the spleen and bone marrow, lymphoma symptoms of weakness or easy fatigability can result from anemia due to decreased production and storage of red blood cells. When the malignancy has reached the lungs, the person can experience chest pain as well as difficulty of breathing due to compromised respiratory system.

The manifestation of lymphoma symptoms differ from one case to another. Some manifest symptoms early during the course of the disease, while other manifest symptoms when the disease is already at Stage III or Stage IV. Careful clinical and microscopic studies in the presence of lymphoma symptoms must be done to correctly identify and stage lymphoma so proper treatment may be given to increase the chance of survival.

Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on lymphoma symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and much more.

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Acute Leukemia Symptoms And What To Look For

Acute leukemia is a form of cancer that affects the white blood cells. It can present in many forms such as Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), which is very common in children, especially 2-5 years of age; Acute Myelogenic Leukemia (AML), and Acute Non-Lymphatic Leukemia (ANLL). This article shares a brief overview of the symptoms to look for as well as the causes, diagnosis and treatment options associated with this disease.

Acute Leukemia

Symptoms - A man, woman or child with this condition may experience a constant tired feeling that can be accompanied with a low fever, anemia, pale skin, general ill feeling, easily bruised skin, and/or frequent nose bleeds or bleeding gums. Other possible symptoms include abdominal pain with an enlarged spleen, and infections with sores in the mouth.

Causes - The cause of this form of cancer is unknown, but risk of contracting the disease increases with a family history, Down Syndrome, or other congenital disorders, identical twins, or exposure to toxic chemicals.

Diagnosis - The first indication of a problem is typically an observation of the aforementioned symptoms. A physical exam with studies of the blood, bone marrow, or cerebral spinal fluid should follow to confirm the diagnosis. In some cases certain x-rays or CT scans may also be used to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment - Proper treatment of acute leukemia may include blood or platelet transfusions, anticancer medication and radiation treatments. A bone marrow transplant may be necessary in some cases. A physician may also prescribe cortisone drugs and pain relievers (except aspirin) to help a patient deal with symptoms.

Acute leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells that can affect children and adults depending on the type of cancer. If treatment is successful and a patient goes into remission, there will be an ongoing need for check-ups to be certain it does not return.

Did you ever wish you had a simple tool that could walk you through your symptoms and lead you to an online diagnosis? Get a good idea of what your symptoms mean by simply answering yes or no using this Online Diagnostic Tool

Click this link to visit SymptomSpy.com and learn more about Acute Leukemia

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Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

While most people are aware of the devastating effects of cancer, many are unfamiliar with specific forms of the disease like Non-Hodgkin disease (lymphoma). In recent years, awareness efforts by many different groups has helped shed light on this devastating form of cancer that affects the cells of the body's immune system.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (or NHL) attacks the cells of the body's lymphatic system, including the lymph nodes, vessels, and fluid. It may also affect other parts of the system including the tonsils, spleen, thymus, skin, and certain areas of the stomach.

Lymphoma may begin as an abnormal cell that eventually grows into a tumor and spreads across the lymphatic system. Individuals who are affected by this type of cancer may experience the following symptoms:

Swelling of the nodes in the armpits, groin, and neckSudden loss of weightUnexplained night sweatsFeverChest pain and persistent coughAbdominal painExtreme tiredness and lack of energy

One of the more troubling factors of NHL is that many of the symptoms can be attributed to other illnesses and minor health issues. Unfortunately, individuals often do not seek the proper medical assistance until it is too late. It is essential to be aware of the symptoms of NHL and to visit a doctor if you discover unusual swelling of the nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin.

Diagnosing NHL

In order to diagnose NHL, a doctor will usually perform the following tests:

Physical examination to identify swollen nodesBlood tests to obtain an accurate count of white blood cellsX-rays to identify swollen nodes in the chest and abdomenBiopsy of swollen nodes

It is important that individuals are aware of Non Hodgkin Lymphoma and it's symptoms. If you believe that you may be affected by NHL, there are many different resources online and in your community to help you deal with this devastating disease.

For more information on NHL and possible causes of the disease, visit the website of the Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma support group at the nhlproject.org.

Original article

Some Lymphoma Symptoms

Lymphoma is a kind of cancer that affects the patient's lymphatic cells. These are part of the immune system. Naturally, it is a serious medical condition. Someone that has this cancer may show lymphoma symptoms. Do keep in mind, however, that a person could have this malignancy without displaying any of the symptoms mentioned here. Also, what you read on this page isn't a complete list -- nor is it, of course, intended to be used in place of advice from a doctor.

Anemia

The condition known as anemia may develop as one of the lymphoma symptoms. While anemia can refer to multiple situations, in many cases it is an instance of fewer than normal red blood cells in the individual's blood. This can medically occur in multiple ways: whether by a lack of sufficient production of them, by their destruction in high amounts, or by a the loss of a significantly high amount of blood. These, at least, are the three main ways in which it can occur.

Aside from lymphoma, other medical causes of anemia are also possible. For instance, it may be due do a deficiency in vitamin B12. In this case, the condition is labeled as the pernicious form.

Shortness of breath

A person who has lymphoma may also experience breathlessness as a symptom. This is far from the only medical cause, however. Congestive heart failure is another possible reason. It can also occur in instances of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is where chronic bronchitis and emphysema are present at once. Asthma is also a reason behind shortness of breath. Pneumonia and many other medical reasons can also be behind it. There are various diagnostic methods that can be used to look for or rule out possible causes, with a chest X-ray being one of the possibilities. There may be particular treatment methods that are aimed at this cause, if it is found.

Lymphoma symptoms are more numerous than those contained on this page. Visit LymphomaSymptoms.org to read about more.

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Myeloid Leukemia Definitions, Classifications And Symptoms

Myeloid leukemia is a group of diseases whose characteristic changes are seen in the bone marrow and blood, where tumor cells infiltrate the blood system; sometimes these cells even spill into the circulating blood other tissues. The concept of myeloid leukemia is from the action of immature white blood cells being produced in excess and therefore inhibiting the production of the normal blood cells. These cells are called myeloid cells; they by their action in the blood disturb the function of the blood cells.

This leukemia has both tumors which are kept untreated to those that are diagnosed and treated immediately, ranging from rapid fatality to those which are slow in growing. Therefore on the basis of their treatment course they are divided into acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

AML is seen more in men than in women and more prevalent in people older than 65 than in people of younger age. CML is also greater in men than in women but its incidence always increase slowing and the people's age increases and gets to the peak of occurrence in mid forties from where there is rapid rise in CML occurrence. Anyway the incidence of CML decreased slightly in the past two decades.

The etiology of myeloid leukemia is depended on the type, AML is related with risk factors such as hereditary (other resident blood disease in the family history; DIC) exposure to occupational chemicals, intense exposure to radiation which may be as a result of therapeutic reasons and even some drugs, but there is nothing relating the cause of ML to viral infection in any way.

While the etiology of chronic myeloid leukemia has no distinct relation with cytotoxic drug effect and there is also no evidence connecting it with any viral infection, but cigarette smoking by studies has shown to increase its progress into severe crisis, therefore living with Chronic myeloid leukemia and smoking becomes dangerous. Only large dosage of radiation has any adverse effect for CML formation.

The symptoms of ML are also depending on the type, whether it is AML or CML. For AML patients are presented with some nonspecific symptoms which begin either slowly or abruptly and the symptoms are leucopenia or leucocytosis, thrombocytopenia. These symptoms are usually due to anemia in such patients. Other symptoms of are fatigue, anorexia and weight loss and easily getting bruised with excessive bleeding.

While in CML the symptoms are at first insidious therefore it is difficult to diagnose a patient based but symptoms, such patients are usually diagnosed during normal medical checkup, or others come to the hospital with complaints fatigue, weight loss, symptoms relating to splenomegaly such as early satisfaction during eating, left upper quadrant pain, infections, thrombosis or sometimes bleeding.

When chronic myeloid leukemia progresses symptoms worsened with bone and joint pain, significant loss of weight which will require increasing the dose of the drugs used for treatment. Chemotherapy is used as treatment of myeloid leukemia but when this fails bone transplant is done.

Dave has been involved in all different areas of the health field for many years now, and prides himself on offering all kinds of different resources for all kinds of different diseases and conditions. For more information on this topic you can checkout either of his websites; the first being myeloid leukemia prognosis and the second being acute myeloid leukemia prognosis.

Original article

Symptoms of Lymphoma in Women

Symptoms of lymphoma in women are generally the same as for men.

Lymphoma often develops quietly and with few symptoms so it may take a while before you may realize that there is something very much the matter.

Following is a list of the typical symptoms of lymphoma in women and symptoms of lymphoma in men alike.

One thing to keep in mind is that these lymphoma symptoms can be symptoms of any of a large number of conditions that are generally harmless.

For this reason, it's wise to consult with your doctor if you experience any of them.

1. Enlargement of the Lymph Nodes

This is the most characteristic lymphoma symptom and can be the only symptom that one experiences.

It's very important to note that a lot of different things can cause an enlargement of the lymph nodes and it does NOT necessarily mean you have lymphoma!

Typically, the lymph nodes of the groin, armpit and neck will swell but cause no pain.

Humans have 500+ lymph nodes in the body which are basically "forts" of immunity.

When they swell, it is often indicative of the body initiating an immune response against some type of microscopic invader.

You may notice these lumps in the course of your daily routine, such as when showering or applying creams, etc.

The symptoms outlined most often only indicate a possible lymphoma if they are discovered in addition to swollen lymph nodes.

2. Losing Weight

Typically, sudden weight loss will occur over a period of several months with no good reason.

Weight loss can range from a few pounds to up to 20 or so.

3. Running a Fever

A random fever that keeps occurring for no good reason (i.e., is not connected with a flu, cold, etc.) is usually an indication to go see your physician.

Symptoms of lymphoma can be confused with symptoms of other illnesses and, in fact, a lymphoma that causes fever accompanied by lymph node swelling is frequently mistaken for a flu or something similar.

Additionally, in those afflicted by a Hodgkins type lymphoma, a quintessential type of fever termed Pel-Ebstein fever can develop.

4. Night Sweats

Excess sweating at night may find you waking up soaked in your own sweat.

5. Pruritis (Itchiness)

Lymphoma cells can secrete certain substance which cause the entire body to be itchy, a condition known as pruritis.

6. Lack of Appetite

Individuals with lymphoma can experience a drop in their usual appetite which can also cause weight loss, one of the other symptoms of lymphoma listed above.

7. Fatigue and Listlessness

Cancer cells hijack the body's energy resource that would otherwise be utilized by healthy cells, causing a drop in energy levels.

8. Swelling

Depending upon where a lymphoma grows (and it can occur in any organ of the body), it may compress and block off veins, effectively limiting blood supply and causing swelling.

Site-specific lymphomas produce rather widely varying symptoms.

A lymphoma of the brain may cause pains in one's legs while a lymphoma in the stomach can cause stomach pains.

General Symptoms of Lymphoma in Women and General Symptoms of Lymphoma in Men

The first and most obvious sign of lymphoma is adenopathy, aka lymphadenopathy, which is a painless swelling of the lymph nodes.

Swollen lymph nodes by themselves, however, are NOT necessarily an indication of lymphoma.

It requires medical testing to confirm or negate the diagnosis.

Symptoms of lymphoma can come in many varieties, dependent upon the location of the lymphoma, the stage of growth, size of tumor, etc.

Symptoms linked with bone marrow issues such as becoming anemic (having a low red blood cell count) are uncommon in the beginning stages of a lymphoma but often are seen later in the game and often as a result of treatment.

MALT (Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphomas affect any mucosal site, the stomach being the most common one. Alterations in bowel movement and stomach pains can be indications.

As far as the stomach lymphoma goes, if it is a result of infection with the H. Pylori bacterium, antibiotic treatment can cause the lymphoma to regress in 70%+ of cases.

How To Report Your Symptoms To A Doctor Effectively:

Describe the intensity of your symptom on a scale such as "This hurts about a 7 out of 10?.

For visually observable symptoms, show them to the doctor and also explain how they started off and looked like initially.

Explain when you first experienced your symptoms

How long have you been experiencing this symptom?

Is the symptom constant or does it come and go?

Describe any medications or dietary supplements you take/did take starting from the time symptoms manifested.

Do the symptoms change depending upon body positioning, time of day, etc.?

Do certain foods trigger the symptoms?

Be as descriptive as possible. The more accurate and specific the information you give, the more your doctor will be able to pinpoint the nature of your problem (if you have any!) and the better he/she will be able to treat you and advise you.

As you can see the Symptoms of Lymphoma in Women are generally the same as they are for men. It's important to pay attention to your body and note any symptoms you may have so that you can discuss them with your doctor in detail and he will be in a better position to help you.

John-Michael David is a well-informed patient who writes about the Symptoms of Lymphoma in Women and the Causes of Lymphoma among other important topics.

Original article

Lymphoma - Symptoms And Prevention

Diseases like tumors, sarcoma, melanoma, and lymphoma have threatened many human lives. When we look on any type of cancers we will find many experts are doing research to find out the best cures for the patients. Besides this there are experts in prostate cancer and in acoustic neuroma that have been successful in introducing some form of treatment but still there is much more progress required to treat the large number of patients. Let us move to the disease of Lymphoma, which has become one of the common causes of fatalities these days. Hopefully those suffering from this condition will get some basic help.

What is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a type of building up disease which disturbs the cycle of lymphatic system. Lymphatic system is a part of immune system, a system which helps our body to fight against bacteria and viruses. When the system gets disturbed, the disease starts to spread because there is no other way to fight back the bacteria and constant virus attacks inside the body. It is a kind of disease which when spreads in any part of the body starts to decay that section. It is really a cursing disease and has put many lives to suffer.

Often we come to hear about the "Lymph Nodes". This is the section where lymphoma tends to attack. These nodes are swollen at the time we are carrying any bacterial infection. A time comes when the cells in this section start to develop and their rapid growth curse the section. The final stage of this development results in Lymphoma.

Causes & Symptoms:

With the research, the experts have not declared any definite causes for the diseases as every patient is having his or her own symptom for the disease. However, there are some general risk factors which can give you a bit sign but still there is a deep diagnosis required to testify the suspected patient.

Age:

There are two age groups who are found with the disease. The first percentile is reported in old people, who are above the age of 60. In children it is recorded in the kids who have a weak or pre-mature immune system.

Already disturbed or weak immune system:

The person with a weaker immune system can easily come under the influence of Lymphoma. A weak immune system itself invites this disease after that it spreads rapidly.

Inherited:

Lymphoma can be inherited. If anyone had the same syndrome in his or her family, then it increases the likelihood for the disease to come back to the person.

Other diseases of stimulation:

There are some diseases which also invites the urgency of Lymphoma. The most common are HIV Aids and hepatitis C.

Prevention:

As the disease does not have any confirmed symptoms, the choices of prevention are also very limited. According to the experts' advice, you can prevent yourself by eradicating the risk factors. There are some automatic risk factors which you cannot avoid, like inheritance factor. But you can avoid some risk factors which are in your hand like avoid smoking etc.

Stewart Wrighter has been searching the term prostate cancer New York in order to find the latest treatments because he is authoring an article on the subject for a major news magazine. He searched the term acoustic neuroma New York in order to find a specialist in the area.

Original article

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Symptoms to Watch For

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma begins when a lymphocyte, usually a B cell, becomes abnormal. The abnormal cell then starts to divide to replicate itself. The new cells divide repeatedly making more abnormal cells. These abnormal cells don't die when they should, and don't protect the body from infections or other diseases. The buildup of extra cells often forms a growth or tumor.

Some symptoms to look out for are night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, loss of appetite, fever, chest pain, coughing, weakness and fatigue that does not disappear, swelling of the abdomen or feeling of fullness. Sometimes these symptoms are not cancer related. If symptoms persist beyond two weeks, you should consult a doctor. Your doctor will do a physical exam to check for swollen lymph nodes in your neck, the doctor also checks for swollen spleen, and liver.

A blood test will show whether there is an increase in white blood cells, a decrease in platelets, and other cells and substances such as lactate dehydrogenase, which lymphoma can cause a higher level of LDH in the underarms and groin.

A chest x-ray will be performed at this time as well, along with a biopsy. The only sure way to confirm lymphoma is by a biopsy. The doctor may order a excisional biopsy ( an entire lymph node) or an incisional biopsy (part of a lymph node). Removing the entire lymph node is best which can then be examined under a microscope.

There are many types of lymphoma, the most common types are diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma.

Lymphoma is classified by how fast they grow. Indolent or low-grade lymphomas grow slowly, and cause few symptoms. Aggressive or intermediate-grade and high grade are fast growing and spreading lymphomas. They cause severe symptoms, and indolent lymphomas can quickly turn into aggressive lymphomas. It is always good to get a second opinion and advice about treatment.

My experience about this deadly disease through watching my mother wasting away and finally passing from it was disturbing to say the least. This type of cancer does not spread itself in the brain, but it does affect the brain. Although my mother also had dementia as well as lymphoma her long-term memories stayed quite clear. Her short-term memory was more affected.

Near the end of her aggressively spreading lymphoma she slept most of the time. Although this disease took the life of my mother, her spirits were high, and she never complained about the pain she was in, and it was severe pain. She was a Christian woman who practised her faith up to the end of her life.

Catharine Parks writes from true life experiences. She is a published author and invites you to escape into the world of life experiences seen through the eyes of humor, or life's downfalls, the escapades of pet heroism, or the titillating paranormal experiences that have affected her life and those around her.

Sit back in your favorite chair, relax and stop by her website to read her articles and short stories at http://catharineparks.blogspot.com/

Original article

Symptoms of Leukemia: Spotting Them Before It's Too Late

Leukemia is a type of cancer that is very common nowadays. It does not choose who it attacks: men, women, children, adults, Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Hispanic - we are all at risk. According to the latest survey conducted, almost 44,000 people will be diagnosed with leukemia by 2010. It is now 2011. However, with developments that we have had in the aspect of health and medicine, the outcome of leukemia is looking bright. There is now a significant increase in the survival rate - a little over 50 per cent. That might not be a very big number for you, but compared to the 1970s when they only had a 14 per cent chance of survival, 50 per cent is almost like being disease-free. Won't you agree?

Surviving leukemia would largely depend on the severity of the disease by the time it gets diagnosed. As you could deduce, an earlier diagnosis of leukemia would give a better prognosis as compared to a late detection. Knowing which symptoms to look out for would be a great help in getting the earliest treatment possible. The following would be the most common symptoms of leukemia:

• Fever and recurrent infections. The reason behind this is that in leukemia, you do not have mature white blood cells to combat foreign bodies. You do not have a good defense system to protect you from invading viruses.

• Fatigue. Leukemia is a condition where there is a massive production of abnormal white blood cells. These cells would take up a lot of space, thus impeding the production of other types of cells. Since the production of red blood cells is decreased in the process, oxygen delivery to your various systems would also be decreased. This is what's causing fatigue.

• Bleeding and/or easy bruising. Bleeding, when associated with cancer, is painless. The same goes with bruising. A normal bruise would be tender when touched. Bruising, as related to leukemia, does not have any pain at all. Platelets, the ones responsible for clotting, are decreased in leukemia. This causes the bleeding and the bruising.

• Petechiae. They are tiny, rash-like spots found on the skin. Unlike rashes, though, petechiae are not itchy. This is caused by the rupture of capillaries and a decrease in platelet count.

• Pain. All types of cancer have pain. In the case of leukemia, it is bone or joint pain. This should not be confused with symptoms of bone cancer, though. The pain in bone cancer is caused by the compression of nerves due to tumor growth. In leukemia, the pain is caused by the overcrowding of blood cells in the bone marrow.

There are many other symptoms of leukemia, but the aforementioned would be the most common of the lot. If you experience any of those mentioned above, consult with your doctor immediately. If you get treatment early in the disease, there is a chance that the cancer cells might be eradicated and you would be one of the few survivors who would live to tell your story about battling with death.

For more information on Different Types of Diseases, Symptoms and Diagnoses, Please visit: Symptoms of Bone Cancer and Symptoms of Leukemia.

Original article