People in Scotland are being urged to learn the four main symptoms of leukaemia, one of the most deadly forms of cancer.
Leukaemia is a form of blood cancer that kills more people than prostate cancer and breast cancer. Sadly, it affects people of all ages and its rate of survival is just 50 percent.
Four of the most common signs include fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections, yet a survey last year by Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care found that almost half of Scots (48 percent) couldn't recognise one of them.
People who are concerned about any of the above symptoms are being strongly urged by the charities to contact their GP and request a blood test.
The two charities are aiming to raise awareness about symptoms of the disease, which is often diagnosed too late and kills 5,000 people a year in the UK. Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the third deadliest.
Repeat infections are one of the most common leukaemia symptoms, but only nine percent of respondents in Scotland were aware of the fact, according to the recent public survey.
Fatigue is often the most likely symptom to be identified by those later diagnosed with leukaemia, but 39 percent of people weren't able to recognise the sign.
Signs of blood cancer
Leukaemia is cancer of white blood cells. Acute leukaemia means it progresses quickly, usually requiring urgent treatment.
There are many different forms of the disease, including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
The following are signs and symptoms of the disease, courtesy of Leukaemia UK:
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bruising and bleeding easily
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swollen and/or sore stomach
- Infections
- Night sweats
- Pain in bones/joints
- Shortness of breath
A Scottish woman who thought she was 'just tired'
One Scots woman only experienced a single leukaemia symptom. Melissa McNaughton, 33, from Bridgeton, Glasgow, experienced fatigue which she brushed off as working too hard. She was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in 2018.
She said: "Looking back to just before my diagnosis, I felt tired, but other than that, nothing. I have had quite bad health most of my adult life, so I am in and out of the doctors a few times per year. I just put the tiredness down to working too much as I run my own business. I popped into the doctors for my blood test (every few months) to check my iron levels."
"Sitting in the consultant’s room with my mum, dad and husband, I was in my own little world. I heard a few words and could see the consultant’s mouth moving but nothing coming out. I just heard the words 'cancer' and 'leukaemia'."
Her initial leukaemia medication caused her weakness and pain in her bones and muscles, causing her to cut hours at work. At one point, the pills caused her bones to feel so sore and weak they felt like they were going to 'snap'.
She marked her four-year 'cancerversary' this year and has said every day is still a 'struggle' with some days worse than others.
"Cancer will just have to get used to living with me because I am in no way going to let it beat me," said Melissa. "I'm still smiling and not stopping. My blood levels are steadily going down which is great. I have not hit my target yet, but everything is moving in the right direction."
Melissa had to close down her salon of 10 years due to the pandemic, but she has since started a new hair extension business called IvyHQ. In her free time, she and husband love travelling around Scotland with their new puppy, Hope.
More information is available on the Spot Leukaemia website.
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