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Definition
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a leukemic-occuring, low-grade B-non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with a proliferation of immunoincompetent B-cells. It is the most frequent type of leukemia in the western world and mainly affects elderly persons (more than 65% of all patients are 60 years and older). The exact cause of CLL is uncertain.
Symptoms
- generalized Lymphadenopathy
- Pruritus
- recurrent Herpes infections
Note:Since CLL symptoms are rare, and, when present, largely unspecific (e.g. recurrent infections, fever, flu-like symptoms), the disease remains often undetected.
Staging and Prognosis
In 1975, Rai, Sawitsky and colleagues have introduced a CLL staging system :
- Stage 0 : lymphocytosis in the blood and marrow only (survival > 120 months)
- Stage I : lymphocytosis and adenopathy (survival ~ 95 months)
- Stage II : lymphocytosis, splenomegaly and/or hepatomegaly (survival~72 months)
- Stage III: lymphocytosis, anemia (hb <10) (survival ~ 30 months)
- Stage IV : lymphocytosis, thrombocytopenia (plt <100,000) (survival < 30 months)
Literature
Rai KR, Sawitsky A, Cronkite EP: Clinical staging of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 1975 Aug; 46(2): 219-34
