Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is one of the most common lymphoid malignancies and it is characterized by a highly heterogeneous clinical progress. Some patients experience rapid progression of the disease and others live for decades without requiring treatment.
Simple clinical staging systems (Rai, Binet) remain the basis for assessing prognosis in cases of CLL. However, clinical progress within a single stage can differ dramatically.
During the past years, considerable progress has been achieved in defining new prognostic markers that may predict the tendency for disease progression and provide insight into the biology of the disease. New, highly efficient chemoimmunotherapy regimens have substantially increased response rates with the potential of long-term remissions.
This review summarizes criteria for diagnosis, prognostic markers, treatment options, and common complications of CLL.