Chemotherapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Understanding chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy prevents the CLL cells from dividing by stopping the production of
DNA. The chemotherapy drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through
the body killing mostly cancer cells, but also some healthy cells.
Chemotherapy for CLL can be administered in several ways:
- As an injection
- Via a catheter
- As a pill
Chemotherapy with an injection or catheter is usually administered at an oncology
infusion center. Chemotherapy in pill form can usually be taken at home. Either
way, you will need to be monitored closely by your doctor for side effects.
When your doctor decides that it’s time to treat your CLL with chemotherapy, there
are a number of options available. Talk to your doctor to determine the right chemotherapy
option for you.
Learn about treating CLL with radiation