Skip to main content
Logo for WebMD
Logo for WebMD
  • Check Your Symptoms
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Dentist
  • Find Lowest Drug Prices
  • Health
    A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Health A-Z

    Common Conditions

    • ADD/ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Cold, Flu & Cough
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Disease
    • Lung Disease
    • Orthopedics
    • Pain Management
    • Sexual Conditions
    • Skin Problems
    • Sleep Disorders
    • View All

    Resources

    • Symptom Checker
    • WebMD Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Message Boards
    • Questions & Answers
    • Insurance Guide
    • Find a Doctor
    • Children's Conditions A-Z
    • Surgeries and Procedures A-Z
    • Featured Topics

    • woman with migraine Slideshow Get Help for Migraine Relief
    • knee joint illustration Slideshow Things That Can Hurt Your Joints
  • Drugs &
    Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements

    Find & Review

    • Drugs
    • Supplements

    Tools

    • Manage Your Medications
    • Pill Identifier
    • Check for Interactions

    Drug Basics & Safety

    • Commonly Abused Drugs
    • Taking Meds When Pregnant
    • Featured Topics

    • assorted vitamins Slideshow Vitamins You Need as You Age
    • berry and yogurt on spoon Slideshow Supplements for Better Digestion
  • Living
    Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Living Healthy

    Diet, Food & Fitness

    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Weight Loss & Obesity
    • Food & Recipes
    • Fitness & Exercise

    Beauty & Balance

    • Healthy Beauty
    • Health & Balance
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Oral Care

    Living Well

    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Aging Well
    • Healthy Sleep
    • Healthy Teens
    • Featured Topics

    • doughnut and avocado Slideshow Which Food Has More Saturated Fat?
    • walking sneakers Quiz Do You Know the Benefits of Walking?
  • Family &
    Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy

    All About Pregnancy

    • Getting Pregnant
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • View All

    Parenting Guide

    • Newborn & Baby
    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • View All

    Pet Care Essentials

    • Healthy Cats
    • Healthy Dogs
    • View All
    • Featured Topics

    • apple slices and peanut butter Slideshow Smart Snacks When You're Pregnant
    • little girl doing homework Quiz How Can You Avoid Homework Stress?
  • News &
    Experts
    News & Experts
    News & Experts

    Health News

    • Medicare for All: What Does This Mean?
    • Having Trouble Falling and Staying Asleep?
    • Rates of Anal Cancer On the Rise
    • New Lung Illness Tied to Vaping
    • Is There a Safer Way to Sterilize Medical Equipment?

    Experts & Community

    • Message Boards
    • WebMD Blogs
    • News Center
    • Featured Topics

    • photo of man sitting on edge of bed WebMD Investigates Why Can't We Sleep?
    • man using computer mouse Newsletters Sign Up to Receive Our Free Newsletters
  • Mobile Apps
  • Subscriptions
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • My Profile
    • My Tools
    • My WebMD Pages
    • My Account
    • Sign Out

    Cancer Topics

    • Bladder Cancer
    • Brain Cancer
    • Breast Cancer
    • Cervical Cancer
    • Colorectal Cancer
    • Leukemia & Lymphoma
    • Lung Cancer
    • Melanoma
    • Multiple Myeloma
    • Ovarian Cancer
    • Pancreatic Cancer
    • Prostate Cancer

    Cancer Guide

    • Overview
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • Chemotherapy
    • Immunotherapy
    • CAM
    • Living With
    • Remission

    More Cancer Resources

    • News
    • Reference
    • Slideshows
    • Quizzes
    • Videos
    • Questions & Answers
    • Message Board
    • Find an Oncologist
    • Cancer Tests
    • Cancer Treatments
    • Cancer Remission
    • Cancer A-Z
    • Cancer
    • Videos

    Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

    What Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

    Video Transcript

    [MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia-- or CLL-- is a type of cancer that happens in your blood and bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside your bones. While the exact cause isn't known, doctors do know that something happens to change the genetic code inside your cells that make white blood cells.

    Normally, these cells help your body fight infection, but because of the change-- called a mutation-- faulty white blood cells that don't work like they should are made instead. These damaged blood cells build up in your bone marrow, crowding out healthy cells, and keeping new blood cells from being made. As they continue to grow, they can spread to your blood and build up in your organs.

    CLL gets worse slowly, and many people don't have symptoms at first. Over time, you could have swollen lymph nodes, a fever, a tired feeling, belly pain, night sweats, weight loss, or more frequent infections. You're more likely to get CLL if you're middle-aged or older, have been around certain chemicals, or if a family member has had blood or bone cancer.

    To see if you have chronic lymphocytic leukemia, your doctor will run some tests on your blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. If your CLL is in the early stages, you may not need treatment right away. If you do, your treatment will depend on your cancer stage, symptoms, total health, and preferences. Treatment options can include chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and bone marrow transplant.

    For more information about chronic lymphocytic leukemia, talk to your doctor. [MUSIC PLAYING]

    Related Videos

    Editor's Picks

    • woman with cup of coffee

      Video

      The Truth About Coffee
    • tongue scraper and tongue

      Video

      5 Ways to Beat Bad Breath
    • couple having sex in bed

      Video

      Why Orgasms Feel Good

    Latest Videos

    Top Picks

    • Chemo: 3 Things You Need to Know
    • Lower Your Risk of Cancer
    • Liver Cancer: Symptoms, Tests, and Treatments
    • How Immunotherapy for Cancer Works
    • Cancer Remission: What Does It Mean?
    • Preparing for Chemotherapy

    Today on WebMD

    man holding lung xray

    Lung Cancer Symptoms

    What you need to know.

    stem cells

    Stem Cell Transplants

    How they work for blood cancers.

    woman wearing pink ribbon

    Breast Cancer Quiz

    Separate fact from fiction.

    woman kissing dog

    Cancer Side Effects

    And how to best treat them.

    Recommended for You

    Jennifer Goodman Linn self-portrait Blog

    'I'll Be Bald Or Fat But Not Both'

    what is your cancer risk HEALTH CHECK

    What Is Your Cancer Risk?

    breast cancer overview slideshow SLIDESHOW

    Breast Cancer: Symptoms, Treatment

    doctor and patient SLIDESHOW

    All About Prostate Cancer

    bald woman smelling flowers SLIDESHOW

    Complementary Treatment for Cancer

    lung cancer overview slideshow SLIDESHOW

    A Visual Guide to Lung Cancer

    ovarian cancer overview slideshow SLIDESHOW

    Ovarian Cancer Explained

    blood test Article

    Treatments for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

    Tools & Resources

    • Common Cancer Treatments
    • Assess Your Cancer Risk
    • Breast Cancer: A Visual Overview
    • Dealing with Chemo Nausea
    • Lung Cancer: The Big Picture
    • How Friends Can Help Post-Diagnosis

    Health Solutions

    • Easy Glucose Monitoring
    • CAR T Cell Therapy
    • Got BPH Symptoms?
    • Myths About Epilepsy
    • Treatments for Psoriasis
    • Life With MS
    • Benefits of Quitting Smoking
    • Is My Penis Normal?
    • Diagnosing Colorectal Cancer
    • Heart Care You Need
    • Innovative Cancer Care
    • Prep for Oral Surgery
    • Epilepsy Explained
    • At Home Health Care
    • Germ-Proof Your Home
    • Bent Fingers?

    More from WebMD

    • MS: Tools to Keep Your Mind Sharp
    • Live Better With MS Assessment
    • What Is Endometriosis?
    • ­Life With Migraine
    • First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare
    • A Personal Story of RA
    • Beat Crohn's Flares
    • How Migraines Affect The Body
    • Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer
    • What Are Thrombocytopenia and ITP?
    • Have Hives? Things You Need to Know
    • Living With Hep C
    • Stress and Psoriasis
    • Finding the Best MS Care Team
    • Why Prostate Cancer Spreads
    • Where Breast Cancer Spreads
    • Logo for WebMD
      • Visit WebMD on Facebook
      • Visit WebMD on Twitter
      • Visit WebMD on Pinterest
    • Policies

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Editorial Policy
      • Advertising Policy
      • Correction Policy
      • Terms of Use

      About

      • Contact Us
      • About WebMD
      • Careers
      • Newsletter
      • Corporate
      • WebMD Health Services
      • Site Map
      • Accessibility
    • WebMD Network

      • Medscape
      • Medscape Reference
      • MedicineNet
      • eMedicineHealth
      • RxList
      • OnHealth
      • WebMDRx
      • First Aid
      • WebMD Magazine
      • WebMD Health Record
      • Dictionary
      • Physician Directory
    • Our Apps

      • WebMD Mobile
      • WebMD App
      • Pregnancy
      • Baby
      • Allergy
      • Medscape

      For Advertisers

      • Advertise with Us
      • Advertising Policy

    © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.

    WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    See additional information.