![Mayo Clinic home page [logo]](/images-global/mayologo.gif)
Discover how you can help support Mayo Clinic.
Treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) needs to be individualized based on each patient's condition and prognosis. The following treatment options are available to patients at Mayo Clinic.
Depending upon the stage of a patient's CLL, careful observation (watching) may be a very appropriate initial approach. Early stage CLL may take years to progress and during this time regular blood tests and examinations can safely monitor for signs of progression.
A number of chemotherapy drugs, available both intravenously and by mouth, are active against CLL. The goal of therapy is to induce killing of the CLL cells (remission), while trying to adjust the doses so as to minimize the effects to healthy cells.
Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that are infused into the body to target specific proteins (antigens) on the leukemic cells. The antibodies work by binding to the leukemic cells and activating mechanisms, resulting in CLL cell death.
One of the most significant advances in the last 10 years has been the combination of chemotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, a process called chemo-immunotherapy. This process has resulted in higher response rates in some patients.
There is an emerging role for the use of blood and marrow stem cell transplantation in patients with certain more aggressive or recurrent types of CLL. This treatment is evolving and needs to be performed in a center skilled in its use. The Mayo CLL team works closely with Mayo's blood and marrow transplantation team to provide coordinated care for CLL patients.
Evaluating prognostic (predictive) factors at or shortly following diagnosis in CLL provides the patient and the medical team with key pieces of information to help determine the need for and urgency of treatment versus observation. These tests may also predict response to treatment and likelihood of relapse. Prognostic tests are routinely advised and include stage, lymphocyte doubling time, beta-2-microglobulin, CLL FISH panel, Zap 70 and, where available, immunoglobulin heavy chain mutation status.
.
