Chemotherapy is the treatment of disease with drugs. In the early stages of CLL, the doctor may wait to start treatment until symptoms appear or blood tests show disease progression. This is to avoid the possibility of side effects and complications that may result from treatment. The first chemotherapy treatment is often with an alkylating agent. Sometimes several drugs are used together.
Most patients respond to therapy with alkylating agents and go into a remission.
Even a partial remission may improve a person's quality of life. However, in many people the disease eventually returns. This return is called a relapse. When it comes back, the disease may be called refractory. That means it no longer responds to the therapy you have already received.