Medication
Until then, try to:
- Find out enough about your cancer to make decisions about your care. ...
- Turn to family and friends for support. Stay connected to family and friends for support. ...
- Connect with other cancer survivors. Consider joining a support group, either in your community or on the internet. ...
- Explore ways to cope with the nagging, chronic nature of the disease. ...
Procedures
When to Treat CLL/SLL. To determine if treatment is needed, patients should talk with their providers about symptoms they are experiencing, swollen lymph nodes, and blood cell counts, according to Dr. Locke J. Bryan, associate professor of medicine at the Medical College of Georgia and the hematology/oncology fellowship program director at the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University.
Therapy
- Lymphocytosis, which means there are high levels of lymphocytes in the blood
- Lymphadenopathy, meaning a patient has enlarged lymph nodes
- Splenomegaly, which is an enlarged spleen
- Anemia, meaning low levels of red blood cells
- Thrombocytopenia, meaning low levels of platelets
- Hepatomegaly, which is an enlarged liver
Nutrition
When to Treat CLL/SLL To determine if treatment is needed, patients should talk with their providers about symptoms they are experiencing, swollen lymph nodes, and blood cell counts, according to Dr. Locke J. Bryan, associate professor of medicine at the Medical College of Georgia and the hematology/oncology fellowship program director at the ...
How to cure CLL?
When should CLL be treated?
What are stages of CLL?
When to treat CLL?
Does CLL always require treatment?
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can rarely be cured. Still, most people live with the disease for many years. Some people with CLL can live for years without treatment, but over time, most will need to be treated. Most people with CLL are treated on and off for years.
What happens if I don't treat my CLL?
Both treated and untreated people with CLL can develop acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes. These complications are more common after treatment with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) or fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR).
At what point does CLL require treatment?
Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (chronic lymphoid leukemia, CLL) do not need drug therapy until they become symptomatic or display evidence of rapid progression of disease, as characterized by the following: Weight loss of more than 10% over 6 months.
How long can you live without CLL treatment?
Most people live for about 10 years, but this varies depending on how CLL behaves. People in stages 0 to II may live for 5 to 20 years without treatment. CLL has a very high incidence rate in people older than 60 years. CLL affects men more than women.
Can CLL go into remission without treatment?
While there is not yet a cure for the condition, a wide range of effective treatments are available. And some people don't need any treatment if the CLL is slow-growing or in a period of remission.
What percentage of CLL patients never need treatment?
Around 30-50% of people diagnosed with CLL never require any treatment for their disease and can survive for many years despite their diagnosis.
What kind of leukemia requires no treatment?
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is typically a slow-growing cancer that may not require treatment. While some people may refer to this as a "good" type of cancer, it doesn't really make receiving a cancer diagnosis any easier.
How do you know if CLL is getting worse?
Unexplained weight loss of more than 10 percent of your body weight over the course of 6 months or so could mean your CLL is progressing. This means that you're losing weight when you're not trying to diet.
Does exercise help CLL?
CLL and its treatments can leave you so tired that it's hard to even think about exercising. Yet staying active actually helps reduce fatigue. It can also help improve cancer symptoms. No single exercise program is best for CLL.
Can you live 50 years with CLL?
People can live with CLL for many years after diagnosis, and some can live for years without the need for treatment.
Are we close to a cure for CLL?
As of now, no treatment can cure CLL. The closest thing we have to a cure is a stem cell transplant, which is risky and only helps some people survive longer. New treatments in development could change the future for people with CLL. Immunotherapies and other new drugs are already extending survival.
Can leukemia go into remission?
Most often, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will go into remission after the initial treatment. But sometimes it doesn't go away completely, or it comes back (relapses) after a period of remission. If this happens, other treatments can be tried, as long as a person is healthy enough for them.
Why is it important to take time to think about CLL?
Common treatment approaches. It's important to take time and think about your choices. Because CLL often grows slowly, not everyone needs to be treated right away. In choosing a treatment plan, the stage of the leukemia and other prognostic factors are important.
What to do if you have chronic lymphocytic leukemia?
It’s important that you think carefully about each of your choices. Weigh the benefits of each treatment option against the possible risks and side effects.
Why is it important to discuss treatment options with your doctor?
Making treatment decisions. It’s important to discuss all of your treatment options, including their goals and possible side effects, with your doctors to help make the decision that best fits your needs. It’s also very important to ask questions if there's anything you’re not sure about.
What is complementary medicine?
Complementary methods refer to treatments that are used along with your regular medical care. Alternative treatments are used instead of a doctor’s medical treatment.
What do people with cancer need?
People with cancer need support and information, no matter what stage of illness they may be in. Knowing all of your options and finding the resources you need will help you make informed decisions about your care.
What kind of doctor treats blood disorders?
These doctors could include: A hematologist: a doctor who treats blood disorders. You might have many other specialists on your treatment team as well, including physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, nutrition specialists, social workers, and other health professionals.
Can you continue cancer treatment?
Whether or not you continue treatment, there are still things you can do to help maintain or improve your quality of life.
What is the best treatment for CLL?
If you do need treatment, the most common kinds of treatment for CLL are: Chemotherapy. Monoclonal antibodies. Targeted therapy. Sometimes you may also need other kinds of care to help treat infections or low blood cell counts. Treatment is given for a time to improve symptoms caused by CLL.
What is the stage of CLL?
This is called staging. The stage of CLL describes its growth or spread to other parts of your body, including the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Be sure to ask the doctor about the stage of your CLL and what it means for you.
What is CLL in medical terms?
What is chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)? Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL for short, is cancer that starts in early forms of white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bone marrow. When they work right, lymphocytes help the body fight infections. In CLL, the leukemia cells grow out of control and crowd out normal blood cells.
How to tell if you have leukemia in your chest?
CT scan: CT scans (also called CAT scans) use x-rays to make pictures of the inside of your body. This test can help tell if the leukemia has spread into lymph nodes in your chest or to organs like your spleen or liver.
What is the lab test for leukemia?
Lab tests for leukemia: Samples from your blood, bone marrow, or lymph nodes are looked at under a microscope (and other tests might be done on them) to help the doctor find out what kind of leukemia you have. Other blood tests: If you do have leukemia, other blood tests will be done to see how well your liver, kidneys, and other organs are working.
How do you know if you have CLL?
Many people with CLL don’t have any symptoms. It's often found when the doctor orders blood tests for some other health problem or during a check-up. Some signs of CLL include: Feeling weak or tired.
How many kinds of CLL are there?
There are two kinds of CLL. One kind grows very slowly and it may take a long time before treatment is needed. The other kind grows faster and is more serious leukemia. Ask your doctor which kind you have.
What is the WBC of a CLL patient?
Nine months after diagnosis, a fellow patient with CLL tells you that his WBC (white blood cell count) is 49,000 with an ALC (absolute lymphocyte count) of 42,000. He has clusters of 2 x 1 cm nodes in both axillae (armpits). Labs are otherwise OK. He feels well, just a bit tired and stressed. He asks what symptoms or lab results might indicate it is time to treat. You tell him:
What is CLL in hematology?
Hematology in general and CLL specifically are full of jargon and acronyms that can be both overwhelming and daunting . With time and experience, you’ll become familiar with the terminology and acronyms. We will try to explain each medical term the first time it appears in an article, but we will use the true terminology so that you gain comfort and familiarity with the medical terms that you will see in your lab reports and in medical articles. We have also provided a glossary and a list of abbreviations and acronyms for your reference.
Is Watch and Wait better than Chlorambucil?
In fact this famous study published in 1998 compared “Watch And Wait” to early intervention with chlorambucil, an oral chemotherapy and at that time the standard of care, and found that the group on chlorambucil fared slightly worse. Admittedly, we have much better treatments today.
What happens if CLL is not working?
CLL creates cancer cells that can squeeze out some of your healthier blood cells. If your treatment isn't working well, you may have: Low red blood cell count. This is also called anemia. You need a healthy amount of red blood cells to carry oxygen to other cells in your body.
What is the goal of CLL treatment?
The goal of any CLL treatment is to lessen your symptoms and get you closer to long periods with no signs or symptoms of disease. You and your doctor can discuss whether it's a good idea to change your treatment. There are several things to consider.
What is the test for CLL?
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). People with CLL often have changes in certain chromosomes. This test uses a special dye to show changes in your cancer cells. Specifically, your doctor is looking for altered genes that help CLL cells survive. Your doctor can use your blood or bone marrow for the FISH test.
What to do if CLL doesn't go away?
You have CLL-related symptoms. One of the main goals of CLL treatment is to help you feel better. If some of your old symptoms come back or never go away, tell your doctor . It could be a sign your CLL isn't well-managed.
Can you treat lymphocytic leukemia?
There are common ways to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but there isn't a therapy that works for everyone. You may need to go several different routes to find the right plan for you. That includes standard therapy your doctor can give you or new drugs through clinical trials. The goal of any CLL treatment is to lessen your symptoms ...
How treatment works
Cancer cells have changes in their genes (DNA) that make them different from normal cells. These changes mean that they behave differently. Cancer cells can grow faster than normal cells and sometimes spread. Targeted cancer drugs work by ‘targeting’ those differences that a cancer cell has.
What treatment will I have?
Your doctor considers several factors when deciding about treatment, including:
How you have treatment
You have treatment in cycles or blocks. Each cycle usually lasts for 28 days. After each cycle of treatment, your team will check your side effects. They will also check how well treatment is working.
Other treatment
You might have other treatments to treat symptoms of CLL, or to prevent problems caused by the leukaemia.
Follow up and monitoring
How often you see your specialist depends on your situation. You need to see your doctor regularly, maybe weekly or monthly, if you are having treatment.
Treatment when CLL comes back
When CLL comes back, it is called a relapse. The treatment you need depends on your individual situation.
Coping with CLL
Coping with a diagnosis of CLL can be difficult. There is lots of support available inlcuding specialist nurses. It is important to get the support you need.
Diagnosis
Treatment
Clinical Trials
Coping and Support
Specialist to consult
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Blood tests
Tests and procedures used to diagnose chronic lymphocytic leukemia include blood tests designed to: 1. Count the number of cells in a blood sample.A complete blood count may be used to count the number of lymphocytes in a blood sample. A high number of B cells, one type of ly… - Other tests
In some cases, your doctor may order additional tests and procedures to aid in diagnosis, such as: 1. Tests of your leukemia cells that look for characteristics that could affect your prognosis 2. Bone marrow biopsy and aspiration 3. Imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT) an…