ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.

People with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may experience the following symptoms or signs. Symptoms are changes that you feel in your body. Signs are changes in something measured, like by taking your blood pressure or doing a lab test. Together, symptoms and signs can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, people with AML do not have any of the signs and symptoms described below. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a medical condition that is not leukemia.

• Fatigue

• Weakness

• Pale skin

• Easy bruising or bleeding that does not stop easily

• Weight loss

• Fever

• Bone, back, or abdominal pain

• Difficulty breathing and/or shortness of breath

• Frequent infections or infections that do not go away

• Swollen lymph nodes or glands

• Swollen or bleeding gums

• Chest pain

• Dizziness

• Unusually long menstrual cycle

• Skin nodules

• Red, pin-head sizes spots on the skin

• Wounds or sores that do not go away

• Headache

• Blurred vision

• Soft tissue mass

If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor. Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.

If leukemia is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of care and treatment. Managing symptoms may also be called "palliative care" or "supportive care." It is often started soon after diagnosis and continued throughout treatment. Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.