Leukemia: symptoms, diagnosis (CBC/bone marrow) and treatment overview.
- Warning signs: persistent fever/infections, fatigue, bruising/bleeding, and weight loss.
- Diagnosis: CBC + blood smear, then bone marrow tests and subtype confirmation.
- Treatment depends on subtype: chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and transplant in selected patients.
Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. Abnormal white cells multiply and crowd out normal blood cells.
This can lead to anemia (tiredness), low platelets (bruising/bleeding), and weak immunity (frequent infections). A CBC often shows abnormal counts, but confirmation usually requires bone marrow testing.
Treatment varies by leukemia type and patient factors. In addition to cancer-directed therapy, supportive care such as transfusions and infection prevention is critical.