Cancer Health Center

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For more information about acute leukemias in adults, see the following topics:

• Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment [NCI PDQ]-Health Professional Version
• Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment [NCI PDQ]-Patient Version
• Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment [NCI PDQ]-Health Professional Version
• Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment [NCI PDQ]-Patient Version

Treatment of chronic leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is not always treated right away. It usually gets worse more slowly than acute leukemia.

Treatment choices for CLL include:

• Watchful waiting. CLL usually gets worse very slowly, and you may have no symptoms for some time. You and your doctor may decide to hold off on treatment for a while. During this time your doctor will watch you carefully.
• Radiation therapy. Radiation may be used to destroy cancer cells. It also may be used to shrink swollen lymph nodes or a swollen spleen. Sometimes radiation is used on the whole body to prepare for a bone marrow transplant.
• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the use of medicines that attack cancer cells. Many medicines are available to fight leukemia and help you live longer.
• Surgery. If the spleen starts destroying red blood cells and platelets, it may need to be removed. This operation is called a splenectomy.
• Targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody. These antibodies can kill cancer cells, stop their growth, or keep them from spreading.

When you have CLL, your body is not able to fight infections very well. You and your doctor need to watch for any signs of infections, such as pneumonia or yeast infections. Early treatment of these and other infections will help you live longer. You can sometimes prevent certain infections or keep from getting very sick by getting a flu shot or a pneumonia vaccine. Your doctor also may give you antibiotics to prevent infection while you are being treated for leukemia.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is treated right away.

Treatment choices for CML include:

• Targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, such as imatinib or dasatinib, is the first treatment used for CML.
• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the use of medicines that attack cancer cells. Many medicines are available to fight leukemia and help you live longer.
• Biological therapy. This is the use of special medicines that improve your body's natural defenses against cancer.
• High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant. After chemotherapy is completed, stem cells that were previously donated and frozen are thawed and infused.
• Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). This is a treatment that may be used after a stem cell transplant. With DLI, a person is given more of their donor's white blood cells (lymphocytes).
• Surgery. If the spleen starts destroying red blood cells and platelets, it may need to be removed. This operation is called a splenectomy.