Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Abstract

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma often diagnosed incidentally through the finding of a lymphocytosis on a routine blood count. Key diagnostic tests are peripheral blood morphology and immunophenotyping. At all stages of disease patients are vulnerable to infections and other malignancies. Treatment is only indicated in individuals who show progression by developing symptoms such as fatigue, lymphadenopathy or splenomegaly, or cytopenias. An increasing number of prognostic biomarkers are now available to assess likely disease outcome and response to different types of treatment. Use of newer agents such as Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors and BCL2 inhibitors have largely replaced more traditional chemo-immunotherapy and significantly improved outcomes.