Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)

CLL usually develops very slowly so there may be no symptoms in the early stages. Possible symptoms include:

• Getting infections more often and recovering more slowly from infections.
• Tiredness, looking pale and shortness of breath.
• Unexplained weight loss/loss of appetite. 
• Headaches.
• Night sweats, aching bones and aching joints.
• Swelling of your spleen and/or tenderness on the left side of your abdomen.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Unexplained bruising or bleeding.

Testing for CLL 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).