Via practica 12/2008

CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

The diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are currently undergoing great change. Numerous new therapeutic procedures now available, such as purine analogues, high-dose treatment and monoclonal antibodies are making major contributions to this progress. As a consequence, the options for treatment of CLL are considerately more diverse now than a few years ago, and now include procedures that take into account age and risk. At the same time, it should be emphasized that many important questions regarding the treatment of CLL remain unresolved. New substances or combinations are tested in clinical trials of the randomized studies. We hope that will contribute to an improved outcome of patients with CLL.

Keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, prognostic factors, purine analogous, immunochemotherapy