Unlike other cancers, CLL treatment typically begins only when the cancer starts causing serious symptoms or complications, not immediately upon diagnosis. This approach can be confusing and anxiety-inducing for patients, but it is important to remember that there is no proof right now that delaying treatment will reduce your chances of living better or longer. 

The following symptoms indicate that it might be time for you to begin treatment: 

• Drenching night sweats
• Fever with no infection
• Extreme fatigue
• Unintended weight loss of at least 10% of your body weight within 6 months
• One or more of your organs, like the spleen or liver, stops working properly
• The size of your spleen or lymph nodes is increasing quickly and causing you pain and bloating
• Your red blood cell and platelet counts decrease (cytopenia)
• You have autoimmune cytopenia (your body is destroying its own blood cells), and treatment with steroids is not working

If you are interested in starting treatment before these symptoms arise, you can talk to your treating physician about reviewing your eligibility to join a clinical trial.

You can explore open clinical trials recruiting CLL patients with our HealthTree CLL Clinical Trial Finder.