WHAT IS CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKAEMIA (CLL)? Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer of the white blood cells. It develops from a type of white blood cell central to the immune system called Lymphocyte. The term “Chronic” implies that the condition typically progresses more slowly than other forms of Leukaemia. Lymphocytes, made in the soft center of our bones, called the Bone Marrow, help our body fight infections.
In a person with the condition, the body makes an abnormally high number of Lymphocytes that don’t work properly. Over time, this causes a range of problems, such as an increased risk of picking up infections, persistent tiredness, swollen glands in the neck, armpits or groin, and unusual bleeding or bruising. CLL most commonly affects older adults – over the age of 60 and is rare in people under 40. Children are almost never affected. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS…
