Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Chapter: 20b
CLL is a clonal proliferation of immunologically incompetent small lymphocytes, which are almost always of B-cell phenotype. It is the most common leukemia in Western countries, occurs in the older population and has an indolent course, with a mean survival of 6 years. CLL involves the bone marrow and peripheral blood, with an absolute lymphocyte count above 5000 /µl, and may infiltrate the liver, spleen and lymph nodes as well as other organs. Associated hypogammaglobulinemia, Coomb-positive hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia may be present.
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