Follow-up Care

If you are at an early stage of the disease, where no treatment is necessary, your doctor will see you every few months to monitor your condition and look for any changes that may prompt initiation of treatment.^4,10

If you did receive treatment, you will also be monitored regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment and to look for signs of disease progression. If you do not respond to initial therapy, or if you responded but your CLL begins to progress again, you may be given "second-line therapy." Second-line therapy is typically considered palliative; that is, it is given to relieve symptoms.⁸

If symptoms of a significant infection occur, such as a high temperature (over 100°F/38°C), you should contact your doctor. (See Avoiding and Treating Infection.)

Infections may occur because the immune system is weakened in CLL.⁴ Infection is the most common cause of death in patients with CLL.^3,10 For some time after treatment, you may continue to take medications such as antibiotics or colony-stimulating factors to prevent bacterial and/or viral infections.^4,10 Infections may be treated with antibiotics or antifungal or antiviral agents.⁴ However, there is much a patient can do to avoid developing serious infections. (See Avoiding and Treating Infection.)

The appearance of a lump or the enlargement of an existing one may be a good reason to ask for an earlier appointment, but the slow rate of development of most cases of CLL means that you probably do not need to see your doctor urgently.

Patients with more advanced disease who have been treated and whose disease is no longer progressing rapidly will also be seen regularly to check if the disease is still in remission.