Leukemia may cause a skin rash that looks like red, brown, or purple little dots, and sometimes may resemble bruises. These result from burst capillaries and may be an early sign of the condition. In advanced leukemia stages, skin rashes may look like bumps, nodules, blisters, or ulcers.
Petechiae from leukemia often resemble a common skin rash, such as atopic dermatitis. However, leukemia rashes have a distinguishing characteristic: When pressure is applied, the spots will retain their red, purple or brown color. Conversely, when pressure is applied to any other type of rash, the skin will turn white.
A common skin condition associated with leukemia are tiny red spots. The red spots, which can also be purple or brown, are known as “petechiae,” a term derived from an Italian word for small freckle and pronounced (puh-TEE-kee-ee). In most cases, petechiae resolve on their own within a few days of onset.
Ringworm. Ringworm, also called tinea, is a fungal infection that people with leukemia may be more prone to developing. If you have ringworm, it usually appears as a circular, patchy rash that's itchy. 10 The patches can be pink, red, gray, or brown in color.
The rash can involve flushed skin, plaques, and scaly lesions. It most commonly appears on the torso, arms, and legs. In some people, it may cover the whole body. Rashes on dark skin can look different from those on light skin.
When should I call my doctor? Petechiae can be a sign of a severe illness or medical emergency, especially in children. Seek medical attention if you have pinpoint red dots on the skin and: Confusion, dizziness or loss of consciousness (syncope, or passing out).
The white cells in the blood grow very quickly, over a matter of days to weeks. Sometimes a patient with acute leukemia has no symptoms or has normal blood work even a few weeks or months before the diagnosis. The change can be quite dramatic.
There are several possible causes for red dots on the skin, including heat rash, KP, contact dermatitis, and atopic dermatitis. Red dots on the skin may also occur due to more serious conditions, such as a viral or bacterial infection.
Blood tests.
By looking at a sample of your blood, your doctor can determine if you have abnormal levels of red or white blood cells or platelets — which may suggest leukemia. A blood test may also show the presence of leukemia cells, though not all types of leukemia cause the leukemia cells to circulate in the blood.
During the progression of leukemia, white blood cells (neoplastic leukocytes) found in bone marrow may begin to filter into the layers of the skin, resulting in skin lesions. “It looks like red-brown to purple firm bumps or nodules and represents the leukemia cells depositing in the skin,” Forrestel says.
When immune cells come into contact with leukaemia or lymphoma cells, they can release cytokines at high levels, causing irritation of nerve endings within the skin and thereby a persistent itch.
Treatment rashes: Leukemia treatments—including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy—may cause rashes. Rashes can appear on multiple body parts (e.g., scalp, neck, upper body). Symptoms include itching, burning, stinging, or pain.
Infections and Fevers
Your blood cells help your immune system function. When these cells are unhealthy, your body's immune system can't function normally causing you to get sick more often. One of the most common first symptoms of leukemia is frequent fevers and infection.
Often referred to as a “silent disease,” CLL can be difficult to diagnose, because people often don't have any symptoms until later in the disease, and others have symptoms that resemble signs of other conditions, such as a cold.
Leukemia symptoms commonly include fatigue, breathlessness, infections, and bruising or bleeding more easily. Leukemia* symptoms vary depending on the type of leukemia. Not everyone gets the same symptoms, and you won't necessarily have all of the symptoms. Most people with these symptoms won't have leukemia.
If caught early, leukemia can be cured by undergoing several cancer treatments.
Anemia rashes appear as itchy skin or tiny red dots under your skin called petechiae. The rashes are symptoms of iron deficiency anemia and aplastic anemia. Both types of anemia can be serious, but they are very treatable.
Melanoma that looks like a sore
Melanoma often contains shades of brown, black, or tan, but some can be red or pink, such as the one shown here.
Many types of CTCL start as flat red patches on the skin, which can sometimes be itchy. With darker skin, the patches may appear lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. In the early stages, the skin patches can look like other common conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
People may have a reddish purple rash of tiny dots or larger splotches, caused by bleeding from small blood vessels in the skin. If the liver function has been impaired for a long time, people may itch all over, and small yellow bumps of fat can be deposited in the skin or eyelids.