How Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Is Diagnosed

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) — a cancer of the blood and bone marrow — is the most common form of chronic leukemia in adults. About 20,000 people in the United States will develop CLL this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Despite its prevalence, many people who have chronic lymphocytic leukemia actually don’t know it, because the disease often doesn’t present with any symptoms. For most cancers that don’t present obvious symptoms, the American Cancer Society recommends routine screening tests, because they are easier to treat it found early. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, however, does not have routine screening tests.

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Written by:

Brittany Doohan

Brittany Doohan was the Content Director at HealthiNation and is currently the Editorial Director at Medscape. Through her work with Medscape, she won a Silver Telly Award in May 2022 for "Sleepless Nation: A Public Health Epidemic — Episode 2: A Decade Without a Diagnosis." She has worked in health journalism and video production for more than 8 years, and loves the challenge of explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand and creative way.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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