CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia): A survival guide for patients

Revised and updated for 2024.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia affecting the western world. With the advent of new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the management landscape of CLL has dramatically changed, especially so in the past decade.

In this book, together we will explore the subject of CLL. This will help you understand the disease better. It is overwhelming to know that either you or your loved one has been diagnosed with CLL and it may sound unrealistic that at this trying time you should pick up a book and understand the disease biology and management strategies but believe me, it is important.

Today all of the decision making in medicine, especially in oncology, is "shared" decision making. What it means is that the team treating you is just one part of the decision making process, the other part is you and your family. An informed decision is a good decision and to make an informed decision, you must have reasonably enough knowledge of the subject.

The goal of this book is in no way to be an all encompassing, comprehensive reference for all of your questions; but to provide you all of the useful information, without unnecessarily burdening you with confusing facts and figures. I have constructed this book in an interactive format, i.e., questions and answers. Most of these question I have picked up by my daily encounters with patients and their families and some I have constructed myself to bridge the gaps between the topics.