Ency. home > Disease > C > Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

CLL

Definition:

A malignancy of the white blood cells known as lymphocytes, characterized by a slow, progressive increase of these cells in the blood and the bone marrow.

Causes and Risks

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) affects the B lymphocytes and causes immunosuppression, failure of the bone marrow, and infiltration of malignant (cancerous) cells into organs. Usually the symptoms and the course of the disease will develop gradually. The incidence is approximately 2 per 100,000 and increases with age, 90% of cases are found in people over 50 years old. Many cases are detected by routine blood tests in people with no symptoms. The cause of CLL is unknown. No relationship to radiation, carcinogenic chemicals, or viruses has been determined. The disease is more common in Jewish people of Russian or Eastern European descent and is uncommon in the far east.

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