Kim Gale  |  September 30, 2020

Category: Consumer News

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Male patient receives blood transfusion in hospital

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the second most common cancer found in adults in the U.S. and in many cases, it doesn’t cause any obvious symptoms or require urgent treatment. But it can progress to a degree that it poses a serious risk.

Understanding the basics of the disease and its stages can better prepare patients to deal with a diagnosis.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a cancer of the blood. It happens when the body’s bone marrow produces too many white blood cells – the ones that fight off infection. The abundance of white blood cells crowds out the body’s red blood cells, according to MedlinePlus, the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s website.

There is a slow-growing chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which often doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms and doesn’t require treatment, and a faster more dangerous chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the American Cancer Society says. They differ at a cellular level.

Patients who do experience symptoms from chronic lymphocytic leukemia typically report having some swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin area, fatigue, pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs, fevers and infection, weight loss or some combination of those.

How is a Diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Determined?

In addition to a regular physical exam in which a doctor will pay close attention to the lymph nodes and abdomen, the first step in diagnosing chronic lymphocytic leukemia is by analyzing the patient’s blood. If routine blood tests reveal an increased number of white blood cells, or lymphocytes, additional testing will likely be ordered, including a bone marrow biopsy. Additional testing might include CAT scans or MRIs.

Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Hereditary?

Most cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia are not hereditary, but a small percentage of the disease – about five percent – runs in families, according to the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Society.

What Are the Stages of  Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

Staging is a widely accepted way to describe the status of a disease. It functions as a kind of shorthand to classify the extent of an illness, like chronic lymphocytic leukemia, it’s severity and what point in its progression the patient is experiencing.

In the U.S., doctors use a system called the Rai system to describe the stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the American Cancer Society says. It is based on the number of lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell, present in the patient’s blood and bone marrow.

A higher than normal number of lymphocytes in the blood indicates illness, the presence of a virus or cancer, among other diseases.

There are five stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the American Cancer Society says.

At the zero stage, a patient has an elevated number of lymphocytes, but no other clear indicators of disease and the patient’s lymph nodes, liver and spleen are normal.

Stage one of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is characterized by an elevated number of lymphocytes and enlarged lymph nodes.

A patient at stage two will have an elevated number of lymphocytes, an enlarged spleen and possibly an enlarged liver. The patient’s lymph nodes might be enlarged at this point, but not necessarily.

At stage three of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a patient has an elevated number of lymphocytes and a decreased number of red blood cells, causing anemia. The lymph nodes, liver and spleen might or might not be enlarged in stage three.

Stage four of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is characterized by an elevated number of lymphocytes, enlarged lymph nodes, spleen or liver, low or near normal numbers of red blood cells and a low platelet count.

The stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia are further classified by the risk they pose to the life of the patient. Stage zero is considered low risk and if often not treated, only monitored. Stages one and two are considered intermediate risk and three and four are considered high risk. Patients at those stages receive treatment, most often consisting of chemotherapy.

What is the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Survival Rate?

The survival rate for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia varies according to what stage of the disease they have.

Survival rates are generally measured in five-year increments and based on a percentage of patients who live that many years after being diagnosed.

The five-year survival rate for people over the age of 20 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is 85 percent, according to Cancer.net, the patient information site operated by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. An estimated 4,060 people – 2,330 men and 1,730 women – will die from the disease in 2020.

The number of people who died from chronic lymphocytic leukemia has been steadily declining, by 3 percent annually between 2008 and 2017, Cancer.net reports.

Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Curable?

Diagram shows normal blood versus leukemiaThere is only one known cure for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Society says: an allogeneic stem cell transplant.

An allogeneic stem cell transplant, also referred to as bone marrow transplant, replaces a patient’s stem cells – the ones responsible for producing blood cells – with those from a healthy donor, according to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Before the transplant can be done, the patient must go through a round of chemotherapy, and possibly radiation, to destroy any cancer cells in the body and to weaken the patient’s immune system so it will accept the transplanted stem cells.

The transplanted stem cells are introduced through the patient’s bloodstream and eventually make their way into the bone marrow, where they then begin to produce new red and white blood cells and platelets.

Allogeneic stem cell transplants are risky for some patients though because of the intensity of the process. Chemotherapy and radiation can be too much for some people to endure. There are risks after the transplant as well. It is possible a person’s body might reject the donor stem cells.

If an allogeneic stem cell transplant is successful, it can cure chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

How Can a Patient Best Survive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

Because the treatments that ready a patient for stem cell transplants can wear down the immune system, doctors recommend the patient pay special attention to other health factors.

If the patient smokes or drinks, the likelihood of developing other types of cancer increases, especially with a suppressed immune system. Smoking cessation plans can help kick that habit to help guard against lung cancer or throat and mouth cancers. In addition, some types of cancers have been linked to overuse of alcohol, including esophageal cancer, which has been on the rise in recent years.

Eating the right foods to keep energy levels up, especially during chemotherapy treatments that can hinder the appetite and cause an upset stomach, is important, according to ShareCare.com. When food doesn’t sound good, it’s best to make every bite count by eating small snacks throughout the day that may include protein powder, any type of nut butter, cheeses and creamy sauces with a butter base. Such calorie-dense foods can ensure weight loss stays to a minimum and energy levels don’t fall off.

A healthier diet full of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, and whole grains along with legumes and beans can help the post-treatment body return to great shape. Slowly starting an exercise program with the advice of a doctor also is key to regaining strength and stamina. Of course, no one should overdo exercise, but it’s particularly important to start out with something such as a short walk to get back in the routine.

Does Roundup Cause Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

The American Cancer Society says that some studies have suggested that farming and long-term exposure to certain pesticides, such as those in the weed killer Roundup called glyphosate, might be linked to an increased risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but no definitive cause and effect relationship has been identified. Research into the causes of and possible connection between chronic lymphocytic leukemia and pesticides like Roundup is ongoing, the organization reports.

Join a Roundup Weed Killer Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

You may qualify for this Roundup cancer lawsuit investigation if you were diagnosed with one of these conditions after using Roundup:

  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • B-cell lymphoma
  • T-cell lymphoma
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
  • Hairy cell lymphoma

See if you qualify by filling out the form on this page for a case evaluation with an experienced Roundup lawsuit attorney. 

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.

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