Overview
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is a type of blood cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell in your body.
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- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Overview
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Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It usually gets worse slowly. CLL is one of the most common types of Leukemia in adults. It often occurs during or after middle age; it rarely occurs in children.
What Tests Will I Need and Why?
Blood and Imaging tests are done to understand your general health and confirm your diagnosis.
In some cases a lymph node biopsy and or bone marrow biopsy may be performed to obtain more information about your diagnosis.
If your treatment team has not already performed tests to determine your cancer’s features, please ask your doctor when these tests will be performed. This information is critical to finding the best treatment option for you given your goals and lifestyle needs.
Re-read this summary as needed and then tap, “Compare My Treatment Options Now“. Our unique Comparison Page will help you understand your FDA-approved treatment options including, who can help you pay for your treatment, where and how each is given and what side-effects you may experience.
National Institute of Health/ treatment-leukemia
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Commonly Searched Questions
What is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)?
Chronic lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is the most common Leukemia in adults. It’s a type of cancer that starts in cells that become certain white blood cells (called lymphocytes) in the bone marrow. The cancer (Leukemia) cells start in the bone marrow but then go into the blood.
Source: www.cancer.org
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) survival rate
The average five-year survival in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is 87.9%.
According to SEER data, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia has a survival rate of 87.9%. For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is 87.9%, it means that patients who have that cancer are, on average, about 87.9% as likely as patients who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Source: Cancer.gov
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) symptoms
Signs and symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia include:
- Painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin
- weakness or feeling tired
- pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs
- fever and infection
- easy bruising or bleeding
Source: www.cancer.gov
What are my treatment options for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)?
There are six types of treatment used:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy with bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplant
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Watchful waiting
Source: www.cancer.gov
Are there any other factors that might affect my prognosis?
The prognosis depends on the following: Whether there are certain gene changes, such as TP53 or IgVH mutations.
Whether lymphocytes have spread throughout the bone marrow.
Whether the red blood cell and platelet counts are low.
Whether the white blood cell count is increasing quickly.
The stage of the cancer.
Source: www.cancer.gov
What are the tests used to diagnose CLL?
The following tests and procedures can be used are:
- Complete blood count (CBC) with differential, blood chemistry studies
- Lactate dehydrogenase testing
- Beta-2-microglobulin testing
- Flow cytometry
- FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization)
Source: www.cancer.gov
