Symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia develops slowly and many people have no symptoms in the early stages. CLL may be discovered only when a blood test is taken for a different reason.

The signs and symptoms of CLL can include the following:

• Frequent infections, as people with CLL have a shortage of healthy white blood cells to produce antibodies and fight off bacteria and viruses.
• A lack of red blood cells (anaemia) causes tiredness and sometimes breathlessness. There are not enough red blood cells because the abnormal lymphocytes are taking up too much space in the bone marrow. Sometimes the numbers of red blood cells may be low because the leukaemia causes particular proteins to be produced that damage the red blood cells.
• The number of platelets in your blood may be low because the bone marrow is not able to produce enough of them. This can cause unexplained bruising or bleeding, such as nosebleeds.
• Abnormal lymphocytes may collect in lymph glands and cause swellings in your neck, armpits or groin. The swollen lymph glands are usually painless but may be sore. Your spleen may become enlarged and cause a tender lump in the upper left-hand side of your abdomen.
• Some people will have sweating or a high temperature at night can also sometimes occur.
• Some people will lose weight.