[Treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia]

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western countries. The abnormal B lymphocytes progress into the blood and infiltrate the bone marrow, liver, spleen and lymph nodes. CLL is a disease of the adults and older individuals who often have coexisting conditions. It usually progresses slowly, but in patients who need treatment, CLL eventually returns. For relapsed, refractory patients treatment options are limited. The only curative treatment is bone marrow transplantation. However, the new, alternative therapeutics show superior efficacy in CLL than standard regimens. The aim of this review is to summarize the most important therapeutic aspects of CLL and to give an insight into the novel treatment options.