Symptoms

Main symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) are not always obvious at first and can be similar to other conditions.

They usually appear quite quickly over a few weeks.

The main symptoms include:

feeling tired or weak
bleeding or bruising easily or for no reason
looking more pale than usual
getting ill a lot or taking longer than usual to recover from illnesses
a high temperature
swollen glands (usually in the neck, armpits and groin)
pain in the bones or joints
loss of appetite or losing weight without trying
shortness of breath
a swollen tummy - your tummy may feel painful, uncomfortable or full

Less common symptoms include:

a headache
being sick
blurred vision
fits (seizures)
a cough
a swollen and red face, neck, arms or hands - the redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin
swollen veins in the neck or chest

See a GP if:

you or your child have symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:

your child is bleeding or bruising easily or for no reason

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

You or your child:

have a swollen and red face, neck, arms or hands that came on suddenly - on brown and black skin the redness may be harder to see
have swollen veins in the neck or chest that came on suddenly

Find your nearest A&E

Important

These symptoms are very common and can be caused by many different conditions.

Having them does not definitely mean you have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. But it's important to get them checked.

This is because if they're caused by cancer, finding it early may mean it's easier to treat.

What happens at the GP appointment

The GP may check any parts of the body that are swollen or painful. They may listen to the chest to check if it sounds normal.

The GP may also arrange for an urgent blood test.

They may refer you for more tests or to see a specialist in hospital.

Sometimes you might have to go to hospital straight away.

Find out more

Cancer Research UK: seeing your GP about acute lymphoblastic leukaemia symptoms

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