Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Description
- Monoclonal mature B cell accumulation in blood, marrow, nodes and spleen
- Same disease as SLL - nodal-predominant with blood B cells <5 x10^9/L
- MBL (monoclonal B lymphocytosis) - clonal B cells <5 x10^9/L, no cytopenia, no nodes
- Precedes essentially all CLL; progresses ~1-2%/yr
- Defining feature is immune failure, not marrow failure
- Hypogammaglobulinaemia, autoimmune cytopenias, second cancers
- Many patients die with CLL rather than of it
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