View clinical trials related to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
Filter by:Background: - Combined therapy with rituximab and fludarabine is the treatment of choice for advanced stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). - A new technology called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) microarray can be used to gain knowledge about the genetic basis of CLL/SLL. - Genetic studies of CLL/SLL may improve our understanding of what happens in the disease, help determine which patients are most likely to respond to treatment with fludarabine and rituximab, and identify new treatments. Objectives: -To gain further knowledge about CLL/SLL and the role of rituximab and fludarabine in treating the disease. Eligibility: -Patients 18 years of age and older with low, intermediate or high-risk CLL/SLL. Design: - Patients with low-risk CLL/SLL do not receive treatment, but are followed every 3 to 6 months and donate cells (through apheresis) or lymph nodes, or both, for research purposes. - Patients with intermediate or high-risk CLL/SLL receive standard treatment with rituximab and fludarabine for six 28-day treatment cycles. Rituximab is given on day 1 and fludarabine is given on days 1-5. (For the first cycle only, fludarabine treatment starts on day 2. This delay permits blood sampling on day 1 for the effect of rituximab on white blood cells.) - Laboratory tests and imaging studies are done periodically to monitor drug side effects and the response to treatment. Tests include bone marrow biopsy and aspiration, blood tests and x-rays, including positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans.