Get answers to frequently asked questions about chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
What is CLL?
CLL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, is one of 4 main types of leukemia. It is a cancer
of the blood and bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones where blood cells are
made. CLL affects a group of cells called lymphocytes, the white blood cells that
help your body fight infection.
How does CLL start?
CLL usually starts with a mutation, or abnormal change, to the DNA of a single lymphocyte.
Over time, the CLL cells multiply faster than normal cells. Eventually, the CLL
cells crowd out the healthy, disease-fighting cells.
What causes CLL?
There are several factors that may increase the risk of CLL, including age (most
people diagnosed with CLL are over 50), gender (men are more likely than women to
develop the disease), family history, and exposure to certain chemicals.
What are the symptoms of CLL?
Quite often, someone can live for years without experiencing any symptoms of CLL.
Tiredness, paleness, fever, infection, unexplained weight loss, bone pain, and enlargement
of liver and spleen are among the symptoms.
Is there anything I can do to reduce my risk for CLL?
Apart from exposure to chemicals, most of the risk factors for CLL cannot be controlled.
Should I get screened for CLL?
Because there are no known groups that are at risk for CLL, there is no screening
available for the disease.
How is CLL treated?
Doctors often take a “wait and watch” approach with CLL. However when they do decide
to treat it, there are several options available, including
chemotherapy and
immunotherapy.
What does staging for CLL mean?
When someone is diagnosed with CLL, doctors need to find how advanced the disease
is. This is known as staging.
Staging gives doctors the information they need to develop a treatment plan.
Are there clinical trials for CLL?
Clinical trials are key to finding
new treatments for all types of leukemia. Clinical trials test the safety and effectiveness
of new drugs or medical procedure and they help doctors determine if existing treatments
can be used in different ways or for other diseases.
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