What are the Symptoms of Leukemia?
Symptoms of leukemia vary depending on the type of leukemia — acute or chronic. Some of the more common symptoms of leukemia may include:
- Anemia
- Bleeding and/or bruising
- Recurrent infections
- Bone and joint pain
- Abdominal distress
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Difficulty breathing
The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital provides comprehensive diagnostics, treatments and long-term follow-up care for children and adolescents who have leukemia.
How is Leukemia Diagnosed?
We offer the latest tools and technology for diagnosing childhood cancer. The diagnosis of leukemia begins with a complete medical history and physical exam followed by medical tests. Diagnostic procedures for leukemia include:
- A complete blood count (CBC) to examine white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets
- Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy to look at the cavity where all blood cells in the body are made. This is where leukemia starts.
- State-of–the-art flow cytometry analysis, molecular diagnostics and a chromosome analysis to determine the subtype of leukemia
- A spinal tap to examine the fluid that covers the brain and spine to determine if any of the leukemia has spread to the cerebral spinal fluid
