Improves the prognosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Rafael Marcos-Gragera, coordinator of HematoREDECAN (Spanish Network of Hematological Oncology Registries) took part in meeting about chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), recently organized by the Spanish Group on CLL (GELLC) of the Spanish Society of Hematology and Hemotherapy (SEHH) in Santander to talk about it The disease, its prevalence, risk factors and prognosis.

The expert pointed out that CLL is a type of cancer in which there is an accumulation of c.malignant cells in the blood, bone marrow and lymphoid tissue. This type of leukemia more common in men the incidence increases significantly with age, but the prognosis has improved in recent years. The five-year net survival rate in Europe exceeds 70%.

CLL causes an increase in the number of white blood cells called B lymphocytes (also called B cells), which spread throughout the blood and bone marrow and can affect lymph nodes and other organs such as the liver or spleen. CLL can cause loss of bone marrow function.

The most common blood cancer

OOO In Spain, it affects 492 people per 100,000 inhabitants.making it one of the most common blood cancers in the country.

risk factors These include a family history of hematologic cancer, hepatitis C virus infection, exposure to insecticides and herbicides, and tobacco use.

Symptoms of this disease usually appear gradually.and do not appear in the initial stages. Sometimes it is detected when a person has a blood test for another reason. When they occur, they may include: swelling of the lymph nodes, liver, or spleen; excessive sweating, cold sweats, fatigue, fever, recurrent infections despite treatment, lack of appetite or feeling full too quickly, and weight loss that cannot be explained by another reason.

The meeting also discussed estimates of the incidence of blood cancer projected for 2025, when approximately 25,770 new cases are expected in Spain, a significant proportion of which will be CLL, and that They account for 10% of all types of cancer (more than 286,000 in total).

Increased survivability

Despite this, experts stressed that survival rates have improved in recent years. The five-year net survival rate in Europe exceeds 70%.

The VI practical course on the study and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is coordinated by Lucrezia Yáñez San Segundo, hematologist at the Marquis de Valdecilla University Hospital, and Francesc Bosch Albareda, head of the hematology service at the University of Val d’Valdecilla. Hebron Hospital from Barcelona and President of GELLC.