Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow and leads to the overproduction of damaged white cells. The symptoms may vary according to the type of leukemia and its stage. However, early detection plays an important role in increasing the chances of receiving effective treatment and recovery. So, listed below are the early symptoms and diagnosis of leukemia.

1. Chronic fatigue – Just like every other type of cancer, the patients of leukemia may experience chronic fatigue. Along with the energy spent in creating white blood cells, the person is likely to suffer from anemia as well, which is a reduction in red blood cells. Due to this symptom, the doctor may conduct multiple blood tests to check the average blood count and diagnose the disease.
2. Fever – While exploring the early symptoms and diagnosis of leukemia, you may also come across fever. Finding extreme alterations in the blood count, along with fever. is sufficient to suspect leukemia and begin diagnostic tests.
3. Night sweats – Leukemia patients wake up in the middle of the night to find themselves drenched in sweat. This often results in various sleeping problems, and it can be caused by the disease itself or can be a side effect of chemotherapy. It is extremely important to report night sweats as it will give a valid reason to the doctor to run a variety of tests in order to rule out the possibility of leukemia.
4. Swollen lymph nodes – Usually, swollen lymph nodes indicate an infectious condition. However, there are certain locations of lymph nodes that are suggestive of leukemia, making it necessary to tell doctors so that they can run a few tests to confirm the presence of  leukemia.
5. Easy bleeding and bruising – When the bone marrow of leukemia patients undergoes a few structural changes, the platelet count can become low, and the person may experience bleeding and bruising. In many of the cases, this is accompanied by purple spots, bleeding gums, nose bleeding, and severe menstrual bleeding.
6. Enlargement of the liver – The early symptoms and diagnosis of leukemia also include enlargement of the liver. When immature blood cells enter the liver, it swells, enlarging it. Furthermore, this can happen to other tissues as well, especially the ones present in the spleen. These signs warrant the diagnosis of leukemia through a physical exam or imaging tests.

Leukemia causes a variety of symptoms in the body, which initially may be dismissed by the person as a minor bacterial infection. However, the above-mentioned symptoms, along with a few blood tests and bone marrow biopsy, can help in the detection of cancerous cells.