Small red spots (petechiae) Small, pinhead-sized red spots on the skin (called “petechiae”) may be a sign of leukaemia. These small red spots are actually very small bruises that cluster so that they look like a rash.
Differences may include: Leukemia bruises usually occur in atypical places, like your back, hands, soles of the feet, or legs. You'll notice frequent bruises without an apparent cause.
The size of leukemia-specific bruises should also be a consideration. These can be “very tiny, pinpoint-like red dots called petechiae, or they can be big and purple,” said Dr. Graff.
These bruises are different from the ones we're used to seeing: they might be much darker red or purple and could be irregularly shaped. Bruises that could indicate cancer might also appear on parts of the body where bruises wouldn't normally occur, like on the head, face, thighs or back, Dr. Wang says.
“It looks like red-brown to purple firm bumps or nodules and represents the leukemia cells depositing in the skin,” Forrestel says. “Treatment for leukemia cutis is simply treating the specific type of leukemia. There's nothing separately we do to treat the lesions.”
Stage 1 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 2 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic. He or she may also have enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 3 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic.
Common leukemia signs and symptoms include: Fever or chills. Persistent fatigue, weakness. Frequent or severe infections.
Petechiae usually turns up on the arms and legs. “Many patients will notice a lot of scattered bright red dots on their arms or lower legs that occur with very little or no known trauma,” Dr. Wang says. “It's a sign that a person's platelet count is extremely low.”
Examples of suspicious bruises can include: Bruising on babies or children who are not independently mobile. Bruising in clusters, that occur multiple times in similar shapes and sizes. Bruising on areas of the body such as the torso, ears, neck, eyes, cheeks and buttocks.
Leukemia bruising occurs more easily and frequently than typical bruising, may show up in odd places, tends to take longer to clear up and can be part of a number of symptoms seen on a child's skin, according to a Louisville pediatric hematologist/oncologist.
Some of the less obvious leukemia symptoms that may accompany the more common warning signs include: Easy bruising and bleeding (and chronic nosebleeds) due to a shortage of blood-clotting platelets. Heightened sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures due to low red blood cell counts.
Many people don't have any symptoms for at least a few years. In time, the cells can spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen.
Small red spots (petechiae)
Small, pinhead-sized red spots on the skin (called “petechiae”) may be a sign of leukaemia. These small red spots are actually very small bruises that cluster so that they look like a rash.
Bone marrow exam
A bone marrow biopsy is often done at the same time. This second procedure removes a small piece of bone tissue and the enclosed marrow. Doctors may find chronic leukemia in a routine blood test, before symptoms begin.
An acute myeloid leukemia (AML) rash may appear in the form of small spots or bruises. On light skin, this often appears as red or purple spots. On dark skin, it may look darker and be less noticeable. AML is a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood.
Blue, purple or black
After 1-2 days the blood that has leaked out begins to lose oxygen and change color. Depending on the size, location and severity of your bruise, it could appear shades of blue, purple or black.
If the bruise spreads and grows, increasing in size or density, or there is a lump under the bruise, see a doctor. You should also seek medical attention if there is a potential broken bone, trauma in the neck or head, or vision impairment.
Some signs of leukemia, like night sweats, fever, fatigue and achiness, resemble flu-like symptoms. Unlike symptoms of the flu, which generally subside as patients get better, leukemia symptoms generally last longer than two weeks, and may include sudden weight loss, bone and joint pain and easy bleeding or bruising.
Leukemia is a serious condition that requires diagnosis and treatment from a healthcare professional. There are currently no at-home tests that a person may use to aid leukemia diagnosis. If an individual has concerns about their health, they should contact a doctor as soon as possible.
Common signs and symptoms of leukemia include: Fatigue, tiring easily. Fever or night sweats. Frequent infections.
The median age of a patient diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is 65 years and older. However, most cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) occur in people under 20 years old. The median age of an ALL patient at diagnosis is 15.