Symptom 4: Fevers with No Apparent Reason
Fevers are a common bodily response to infections. It’s the body’s natural way of trying to kill off pathogens by raising its temperature. However, fevers associated with BPDCN are a different ball game. They can be mysterious, often cropping up without a discernible reason like an infection or illness.
BPDCN-related fevers are often low-grade, which means they might not be as high as fevers caused by infections. This subtlety can make them easy to overlook. One might dismiss it as a minor glitch or a transient phase, especially if there aren’t other symptoms. But it’s this very subtlety that can make it dangerous.
So, why does BPDCN cause these fevers? The exact mechanism is still under research, but it’s believed that the rapid proliferation of abnormal cells can trigger inflammatory responses in the body. This inflammation can then manifest as a fever.
Additionally, the compromised immune system might not always show signs of infections that can also cause fevers. Therefore, it’s a double-edged sword, with the fever being both a symptom and a consequence of other underlying issues.(4)
