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Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Overview

Open all pages about Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a rare type of blood cancer. It usually develops slowly and does not always need treatment straight away.

Symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia are not always obvious. Some of the main symptoms are swollen glands, losing weight and getting ill a lot.

It's not clear what causes chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. It's rare, but you may be more likely to get it as you get older.

The main tests for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia are blood tests to check for signs of cancer.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia does not always need to be treated straight away. The main treatments include targeted medicines and chemotherapy.

If you have chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, support is available from your specialist team and charities like Blood Cancer UK and Macmillan.

Page last reviewed: 17/01/2023
Next review due: 17/01/2026