Eventually the abnormal cells affect the lymph nodes, the spleen, and the liver. Since most patients are over 60 at initial diagnoses, CLL used to be considered a disease of the elderly. In the initial stages of CLL, patients exhibit little or no symptoms, and the disease is discovered by accident during a routine blood test. An early stage CLL patient may suffer from fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal discomfort. Because of the low antibody levels, patients are more susceptible to viruses and infection.
Most patients can lead normal lives for up to fifteen years following diagnosis.
Because of the slow progression of the disease and the relatively old age of the patients, there has been a bit of disagreement regarding treatment options. Others believe that a BMT is the patient's best chance to put CLL into complete remission. To bolster the immune system, patients are sometimes given immunoglobulin. Most patients are over 60, which is considered too old for the majority of BMT protocols. However in recent studies, allogeneic BMTs have had promise.