Chronic lymphatic leukemia is also called chronic lymphocytic leukemia or CLL. All these names refer to the same disease. CLL differs from acute lymphatic leukemia in that it has a slow and insidious onset. Symptoms may not be obvious for many years, but when they do emerge they are often intractable. Although the improvements in five year survival rates lag behind those of acute lymphocytic leukemia, drugs such as bendamustine and imatinib may make the future brighter for people with this disease.
Watchful Waiting
The National Cancer Institute reports that anti-leukemia therapy is frequently unnecessary in the early stages of CLL when the only apparent symptom is mildly elevated lymphocyte levels. During this stage, many clinicians adopt the practice of watchful waiting until there are more substantial symptoms to treat. During this stage the patient's blood counts are regularly monitored.
Chemotherapy
The National Cancer Institute reports that conventional dose of chemotherapy are not curative for patients whose disease is progressing. This notwithstanding, chemotherapy is usually offered to prolong the time the disease remains in check. According to Medline Plus, common chemotherapy drugs include fludarabine, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide. These drugs may be used alone or in combination with each other or monoclonal antibody drugs. A new drug, bendamustine was approved by the FDA in 2008.
Biologic treatment
The monoclonal antibody drugs rituximab and alemtuzumab are used to treat CLL. Monoclonal antibody drugs are antibodies made in a lab that bind to a particular protein. Both rituximab and alemtuzumab selectively destroy B cell lymphocytes by binding to a specific protein found on the cell membrane. A new drug called Gleevec fits into this category as well. Gleevec targets a molecule unique to leukemia cells. It is highly specific for cells involved in CLL.
Radiation
According to the National Cancer Institute, low-dose external radiation therapy is applied to areas such as the spleen and lymph nodes where B lymphocytes tend to congregate in large numbers. Radiation is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy or stem cell transplant.
Stem Cell Transplant
The National Cancer Institute notes that patients who received allogeneic stem cell transplants often have prolonged disease-free survival. Allogeneic means that the stem cells came from someone other than the patient themselves. This procedure is also known as a bone marrow transplant. Very high levels of drugs or radiation are used prior to the transplant. The infused stem cells jump start the formation of new tissue capable of generating healthy cells.
