What determined when cll treatment was started

[carnation06]

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

There are a number of factors. Generally stage 4, when the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) , is over 30K and if it doubles in 6 months this is ONE indicator of treatment. Other considerations are the way you feel... fatigue, sudden weight loss for no reason, drenching night sweats, a drop in platelets or red blood cells, enlarged nodes or spleen, Autoimmune anemia and/or thrombocytopenia, unexplained high fevers and so on. In SLL, the same is true, with the addition of lymphocytes appear in the blood.

It is important to have a second opinion prior to treatment, with a doctor who treats a great number of CLL/SLL patients, since it is part science and part art...

You can learn more from the CLLGuidelines link Section 4:

bloodjournal.hematologylibr...