What is CLL?
CLL is a chronic blood cancer that affects the lymphocytes, of which there are two types, B and T lymphocytes. These white blood cells are an important component of the immune system, helping to fight infection. More than 90% of CLL cases affect the B cells. In acute leukemia, one cell begins rapidly reproducing, leaving little room for healthy cells, causing symptoms to quickly develop. In CLL, the abnormal B cells accumulate over time, but the rate they are reproducing is not abnormal. Rather than overgrowth, CLL is caused by a loss of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The B cells should die once they reach a certain number, but cancerous B cells have lost the ability to self destruct in this situation. CLL accounts for a little over 30% of all adult leukemia cases in the United States, with an estimated 15,340 new cases diagnosed in 2007. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society estimates that over 95,000 people are living with CLL. The average age at diagnosis is 55-60 and it is more com
