What Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia symptoms suggest a patient needs treatment?
Thank you for your question. The diagnosis of CLL should be based on a number of clinical indicators beyond a high white blood count.
I will provide some additional items as an overview to help with my response to your question.
CLL is a slow developing leukemia.
CLL is typically diagnosed from a variety of tests such as:
• Blood cell count, a person with CLL will have a high lymphocyte count ( white blood cells) and may also have a low red blood count or low platelet count
• Blood cell examination called a flow cytometry or immunophenotyping
• Immunoglobulin Test.
• Bone marrow aspiration
• FISH, (fluorescence in situ hybridization test) this test looks at any chromosome changes.
Treatment, planning and staging:
• Stage of the CLL (low, intermediate or high risk)
• Physical exam and lab test results
• Person's overall health
• Person's age (for some treatment
Goal of CLL therapy:
• Slow the growth of CLL cells
• Provide long periods of remission (when there are no signs of CLL and/or people feel well enough to carry on their day-to-day activities)
• Help people to feel better if they have infections, fatigue or other symptoms.
Treatment plan may depend on the following factors:
• Stage of the CLL (low, intermediate or high risk)
• Physical exam and lab test results
• Person's overall health
• Person's age (for some treatments).
CLL treatment options:
• Watch and Wait- a doctor observes a person's condition with physical exams and lab tests. The doctor does not treat the person with drugs or to start treatment and the type of treatment to have.
• Drug Treatment -People who have intermediate- and higher-risk (faster-growing) CLL are usually treated with combination chemotherapy /or monoclonal antibody therapy.
Supportive Care - Supportive care is given to prevent or treat CLL symptoms and/or treatment side effects. Supportive care for CLL may include
• Antibiotics
• Blood transfusions or red cell growth factors used to increase the red cell count.
• Growth factors used to improve low white cell counts.
I also think it is important to choose a doctor who specializes in treating CLL and who knows about the most up-to-date treatments. This type of specialist is usually called a "hematology oncologist." I hope you find this information helpful.
