Common leukaemia symptoms
Leukaemia and other blood cancers can cause vague symptoms. They vary depending on the type of leukaemia you have and how it is affecting you. The symptoms are usually caused by having low numbers of some blood cells, high numbers of some blood cells, or some blood cells that do not work properly. Some people might not have any symptoms but have abnormal blood test results.
Common symptoms of leukaemia
Some of the more common symptoms of leukaemia include:
Feeling exhausted or worn out, even after resting. This is called fatigue.
Bruising easily, or for no reason at all.
Unusual bleeding, like nosebleeds, bleeding gums or heavier periods than usual.
Infections that last a long time or keep coming back.
Fever for no obvious reason.
Night-time sweats that soak your nightclothes or bedding.
Feeling breathless.
A rash of tiny red, purple or darker dots under your skin. This may be harder to see on black or brown skin.
Itching that lasts a long time or keeps coming back
Looking pale. If you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on your palms, gums or inside your lower eyelids.
Swollen lymph nodes (glands) that don’t go down within a few weeks.
Tummy pain, bloating or feeling full quickly after eating.
Losing weight without trying to.
Should I be worried?
All these symptoms can be caused by lots of different illnesses, like infections, low vitamin levels or autoimmune conditions. Most people who have them do not have leukaemia.
But if you are worried about any of these symptoms, contact your GP and ask about a blood test. Tell them you're concerned about leukaemia.
If you are struggling to get help
Nearly 3 in 10 people with leukaemia have to speak to their GP three or more times before getting a diagnosis.
There may be many possible explanations for your symptoms for a GP to consider.
If you have to go back to your GP three or more times about the same symptom, remind them about Jess’ rule. This encourages GPs to ‘reflect, review and rethink’, particularly if:
- You still have the symptoms
- They have got worse
- They are unexplained
Take a look at our Spot Leukaemia campaign to find out what we’re doing to help the public and GPs spot the signs of leukaemia sooner.
Advocacy support
Our advocacy service can help you understand how to make an appointment and access the tests you need.
Sources
We used an AI tool to help identify relevant evidence sources for this webpage, such as scientific journals and clinical guidelines. A human checked the reliability of these sources.
Sources we used to develop this information
Black GB, Boswell L, Harris J, Whitaker KL. What causes delays in diagnosing blood cancers? A rapid review of the evidence. Primary Health Care Research & Development. 2023 Jan;24:e26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423623000129
Clarke RT, Jones CH, Mitchell CD, Thompson MJ. ‘Shouting from the roof tops’: a qualitative study of how children with leukaemia are diagnosed in primary care. BMJ Open. 2014 Feb;4(2):e004640. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004640
Clarke RT, Van den Bruel A, Bankhead C, Mitchell CD, Phillips B, Thompson MJ. Clinical presentation of childhood leukaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2016 Oct 1;101(10):894-901. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2016-311251
Howell DA, Smith AG, Jack A, Patmore R, Macleod U, Mironska E, Roman E. Time-to-diagnosis and symptoms of myeloma, lymphomas and leukaemias: a report from the Haematological Malignancy Research Network. BMC Blood Disorders. 2013 Oct 31;13(1):9. DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-1839-13-9
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical Knowledge Summary: Haematological cancers - recognition and referral. Revised 2025. Available at: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/haematological-cancers-recognition-referral/ [Accessed May 2026]
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Suspected cancer: recognition and referral. NICE guideline NG12. 23 June 2015; updated 25 April 2026. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12 [Accessed May 2026]
NHS cancer programme: faster diagnosis framework. November 2022. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cancer-programme-faster-diagnosis-framework/ [Accessed May 2026]
NHS England. National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2024. Available at: https://www.ncpes.co.uk/latest-national-results/ [Accessed May 2026]
NHS Scotland. Scottish referral guidelines (SRGs) for suspected cancer: Haematological cancers. Available at: https://www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/scottish-referral-guidelines-srgs-for-suspected-cancer/haematological-cancers/ [Accessed May 2026]
Shephard EA, Neal RD, Rose PW, Walter FM, Hamilton W. Symptoms of adult chronic and acute leukaemia before diagnosis: large primary care case-control studies using electronic records. The British Journal of General Practice. 2016 Mar 1;66(644):e182-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp16X683989
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Page last reviewed: 29 September 2026
Updated October 2026
Next review due: 30 September 2029
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