Leukemia and Myelodysplatic Syndromes Stories from Patients
What is leukemia? Leukemia is a broad term for cancers of the blood cells, most often occurring in adults over 55, but also a common cancer in children under 15.
The type of leukemia depends on the type of blood cell that becomes cancer and whether it grows quickly or slowly. (NCI)
Explore below for leukemia stories from real patients, from symptoms, diagnosis, to treatment.
- Myelodysplatic Syndromes (MDS) Stories
- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Stories
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Stories
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Stories
- Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Stories
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of rare blood cancers related to leukemia that affect the bone marrow’s ability to produce healthy blood cells, leading to symptoms like fatigue, frequent infections, and anemia. While not a leukemia, some forms of MDS can progress to acute myeloid leukemia over time.
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) often develop slowly, and symptoms can be subtle at first. Many are tied to low blood counts (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia).
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
- Common symptoms: Fatigue, weakness, drenching night sweats, fever, easy bleeding or bruising, shortness of breath, loss of appetite or weight loss, bone or stomach pain, pain or feeling of fullness below ribs, painless lumps in neck, underarm, stomach, groin, lots of infections
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Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a cancer in which the bone marrow makes immature white blood cells, known as myeloblasts. AML is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia is one of our newest conditions to get it’s own page – come help us build it. Visit the AML Homepage.
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Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
CLL is the most common form of leukemia in the U.S. It’s a cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell).
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (also called CLL) is a blood and bone marrow disease and usually progresses slowly as opposed to acute leukemias. It is the most common type of chronic leukemia in adults.
More on CLL:
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Page
- What is CLL?
- Treatment options for CLL
- Dr. Kerry Rogers on CLL
- Dr. Jacqueline Barrientos on CLL
- Dr. Timothy Fenske on CLL
Tony D., Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Symptom: Lump in back of neck that got bigger in a couple of weeks
Treatment: BTK inhibitor (Imbruvica)
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Michele T., Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Symptoms: Trouble breathing, rash, bruising
Treatments: Sprycel and Bosulif
Mark K., Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Symptoms: Weight loss, low energy, night sweats, enlarged spleen, elevated WBC count, frequent need to urinate
Treatment: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)
Jannette J., Thyroid Cancer & Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Symptoms: (thyroid cancer) recurring sore throat, worsening throat pain, difficulty swallowing, swelling in the neck; (chronic myeloid leukemia) fatigue, nausea, vomiting, blood with bowel movements
Treatments: Surgery (thyroidectomy), radiation, chemotherapy