ML and all acute leukemias are very rapidly progressing types of leukemia. Individuals with this disease may exhibit no symptoms one week and have completely normal blood counts, yet within a week, both blood count levels can deteriorate and sudden symptoms can appear. Therefore, attention should be paid to the symptoms mentioned below.

The most common symptoms are:

**Sudden onset weakness and fatigue:** This is due to leukemia cells invading the bone marrow, impairing blood production and leading to a decrease in red blood cell count. A decrease in red blood cells results in a decrease in hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen to organs. Low hemoglobin levels can cause weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath during walking, palpitations, and sleepiness.

**Bleeding:** Leukemia cells invading the bone marrow reduce the production of platelets (thrombocytes), cells responsible for clotting, leading to a bleeding tendency. Therefore, these patients may experience gum bleeding, bruising, and nosebleeds.

**Infection/Inflammation:** Leukemia cells invading the bone marrow disrupt the production and reduce the number of leukocytes (white blood cells), the body's defense cells. This impairment can lead to infections. Depending on the location of the infection, symptoms may include fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, postnasal drip, and inflammation of the skin or soft tissues.

Acute leukemias begin in the bone marrow but in most cases rapidly spread to the blood. Sometimes they can spread to other parts of the body, including lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and testes. In this case, symptoms may also arise depending on the organ affected. It is important to remember that the presence of one or more of the following symptoms does not diagnose acute leukemia. It is crucial to check whether these symptoms are accompanied by abnormalities in blood counts. The mentioned symptoms can be listed as follows:

* **Cough, hiccups:** May occur due to the spread of the disease to the lungs or enlargement of lymph nodes in the chest cavity.
* **Shortness of breath:** May occur due to the spread of the disease to the lungs or enlargement of lymph nodes in the chest cavity, as well as due to decreased blood values or lung infection.
* **Enlarged liver, spleen, or lymph nodes:** May be due to leukemia cells leaving the bone marrow and invading these organs via the blood or lymph.
* **Headache, dizziness, balance problems, back pain, lethargy:** May occur due to the spread of leukemia cells to the nervous system, primarily the brain and spinal cord.
* **Bone pain:** Leukemia cells invading the bone marrow can cause all types of bone pain.
* **Abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, vomiting:** Acute leukemias rarely spread to the gastrointestinal system, causing these symptoms.