Myeloid malignancies can cause a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the type of disease. General signs and symptoms include:

• Weight loss
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness

Signs and symptoms of AML, myelodysplastic syndromes and JMML may develop from the reduction of normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets caused by the disease. These blood abnormalities may cause the following conditions and symptoms:

• Anemia. An abnormally low amount of red blood cells. It can trigger a variety of signs and symptoms including yellowing of the skin (jaundice), fatigue and shortness of breath.
  
  
• Infection. Decreased normal white blood cells weaken the immune system and cause a greater risk for infection. The infection may or may not be accompanied by a fever.
  
  
• Thrombocytopenia. An abnormally low amount of platelets. This condition can lower the ability to repair holes in damaged blood vessels and result in excessive bleeding or bruising.
  
  
• Enlargement of spleen or liver. This can cause a feeling of fullness between the ribs or swelling of the abdomen.
  
  
• Bone or joint pain. Caused by spread of the disease to the bone.
  
  
• Leukemia cutis and chloromas. Painless blue, blue-green or purple colored lumps that may occur in children with AML. They may appear in the neck, underarm, stomach or eye areas.
  
  
• Rashes. Spread of these malignancies to the skin may cause small spots that look like an ordinary rash.

Early symptoms of these diseases may be overlooked because they can resemble symptoms of more common illnesses, such as influenza. Parents are encouraged to contact their physician when their child experiences any symptom of these diseases which does not promptly resolve. The earlier a disease is diagnosed, the earlier treatment may begin.