Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)

Many of the symptoms are caused because leukaemia can stop your body making enough normal blood cells. Symptoms vary from person to person and on the blood cells affected. Possible symptoms include:

• Tiredness (fatigue), shortness of breath, weakness, headaches, pale skin, caused by fewer red blood cells (anaemia).
• Recurrent infections or high temperatures/fever: Not enough healthy white blood cells.
• Blood in your urine, gums or stools (poo), unexplained bruising, tiny red spots on your skin: Not enough platelets in the blood.
• Serious bleeding.
• Aching bones and joints: Too many abnormal cells in your bone marrow.
• Weight loss / Loss of appetite.
• Lethargy, lack of energy.
• Enlarged lymph glands in your neck, underarm, stomach or groin.
• Enlarged spleen - poor appetite, swollen tummy or tummy pain.
• Sepsis - you may feel generally unwell, have a high or low temperature, or feel shivery.

Testing for AML when you have no symptoms is called screening. There is no leukaemia screening programme. This is because there have been no tests proven to help predict leukaemia. If you are worried about leukaemia, contact your family doctor (GP).