The 5-year relative survival rate for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) among adults ages 20 or older is 87%. Although the condition is typically incurable, a person can live with this form of leukemia for many years.
There are two types of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The cells for each form are slightly different, but doctors can only tell them apart by testing them in a laboratory.
Slower-growing CLL occurs when there are too many lymphocytes. A person may not need treatment for some time.
Faster-growing CLL occurs when there are too many CLL cells in the blood, blocking typical cell production. It is typically more severe.
This article focuses on survival rates for CLL and the factors that can influence a person’s life expectancy or outlook. It also discusses how to achieve an optimal quality of life with CLL.
Survival rates can give a person more information about the outlook for their condition and help them plan treatment and care. However, survival rates are only an estimate.
Survival rates for leukemia have improved significantly over the past 40 years. In the United States, the current 5-year relative survival rate for CLL in adults ages 20 years or older is
CLL accounts for around 38% of new leukemia cases in adults ages 20 years or older.
Relative survival rates
A relative survival rate helps give an idea of how long a person with a particular condition will live after receiving a diagnosis compared with those without the condition.
For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate is 70%, it means that a person with the condition is 70% as likely to live for 5 years as someone without the condition.
It is important to remember that these figures are estimates. A person can consult a healthcare professional about how their condition is going to affect them.
The stage of CLL is an important factor in life expectancy. However, other factors also have an effect.
Doctors talk about stages to indicate how far cancer has progressed in a person’s body. However, as leukemia affects the blood, doctors cannot stage it in this way.
There are two systems for staging leukemia: the Rai system and the Binet system. In the United States, doctors
In the Rai system, a person undergoes blood tests to check for cancer cells and determine the number of white blood cells (WBC) in the blood and bone marrow.
Alongside a physical exam, this information can indicate one of five stages for CLL:
| Rai system stage | Test results and symptoms |
|---|---|
| Stage 0 | • an increase in WBC levels • red blood cells (RBC) and platelets are near typical |
| Stage 1 | • an increase in WBC levels • RBC and platelets are near typical • enlargement of lymph nodes |
| Stage 2 | • an increase in WBC • RBC and platelets are near typical • enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen, or liver |
| Stage 3 | • an increase in WBC levels • RBC count is low • platelets are near typical • enlargement of lymph node, spleen, or liver |
| Stage 4 | • an increase in WBC levels, • RBC count is low or near typical • low platelet count • enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen, or liver |
A higher stage number means that CLL is impacting more of the body. A higher stage will often shorten a person’s life expectancy.
Learn about how CLL symptoms can progress.
Other factors
Other factors that can affect survival rates include:
- whether CLL has come back or improved with treatment
- how cancer cells have spread in the bone marrow
- a person’s general health
- the level of bone marrow involvement
- whether there is a high level of cells containing the proteins ZAP-70 or CD38
- whether the TP53 gene is absent from cells
Treatment can help people manage CLL symptoms and improve their overall outlook. It also focuses on stopping or slowing down the spread of CLL.
Treatment options for CLL
- watchful waiting
- chemotherapy
- targeted therapy
- immunotherapy
- radiation therapy
Although there is no cure for CLL, ongoing treatment may help a person live with the condition for a long time. There are several ways that someone who has CLL can support their health and well-being.
Follow-up care
Attending all medical appointments is
Lifestyle changes
People with CLL may benefit from gentle exercise and following a balanced diet. No research confirms a direct link between exercise, diet, and CLL management, but they can help support their overall health.
Support
Getting emotional support and expressing feelings may help an individual with CLL. This may be from friends, family, or community groups.
In the United States, the
Having correct information can give a person more control and understanding. Finding out as much as possible about CLL and asking a doctor any questions can help with decisions about treatment and care.
Below are answers to common questions about CLL.
Can a person live a full life with CLL?
Some people live for many years after a CLL diagnosis. Receiving an accurate diagnosis and beginning treatment as early as possible may help improve a person’s outlook.
Learn about how doctors diagnose CLL.
How will CLL affect quality of life?
In the early stages, CLL may not significantly affect a person’s quality of life. However, a 2023 study of people with CLL in Israel found that males had a better quality of life during active surveillance, while females reported a better quality of life during active treatment. Symptoms of CLL and treatments may affect each person differently.
Is CLL classed as terminal?
Although CLL is not curable, the 5-year relative survival rate for CLL is around
Doctors can very rarely cure CLL. However, survival rates for this cancer are generally positive, particularly with early diagnosis and treatment. Currently, around 87% of people ages 20 or older with CLL survive for at least 5 years following diagnosis.
Various treatments can help manage symptoms and slow the progression of the condition. A person can also ask their doctor about support that may be available to them.