Specifically, it affectswhite blood cellsknown asB-cell lymphocytesthat help the body fight infection.
When you have SLL, your body will start to produce immature, cancerous B-cells in thelymph nodes.
SLL is an indolent (slow-growing) cancer.
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If you have no symptoms, your healthcare provider may take a watch-and-wait approach and delay treatment.
The key difference between SLL and CLL is their location.
What Are the Symptoms of SLL?
There are often no symptoms in the early stages of SLL.
In fact, SLL can remain asymptomatic (without symptoms) for years.
AIHA affects between 10% and 15% of people with CLL/SLL.
Cases that develop abruptly can be life-threatening.
Excessive bleeding in the urinary or gastrointestinal tract may require emergency treatment.
The transformation, calledRichter’s syndrome, affects between 2% and 10% of people with CLL/SLL.
What Causes SLL and CLL?
Both of these genetic anomalies are commonly passed from parent to child.
Studies have reported that up to 10% of people with SLL have a family member with the disease.
When this occurs, offspring will often develop SLL 20 years earlier than the parent.
Further research is needed.
How these conditions contribute to SLL remains unknown.
The same applies to prior radiation exposure.
How Is SLL Diagnosed?
The physical exam may require you to undress.
A key sign of lymphoma is the absence of pain in the affected lymph nodes.
The nodes will also be mobile when touched rather than fixed.
It is for this reason that blood tests are essential for the diagnosis of SLL.
The first diagnostic sign of SLL is an abnormally high lymphocyte count, referred to as lymphocytosis.
Small lymphocytic lymphoma vs. CLL
A complete blood count can also help differentiate SLL from CLL.
Leukocytes, another key in of white blood cell produced in bone marrow, may also be low.
CT scans take multiple coordinatedX-rayimages to create three-dimensional “slices” of internal structures.
Immunophenotyping
Immunophenotyping is a test that can help diagnose or classify blood cancers like lymphoma or leukemia.
Blood, bone marrow, and other cell samples can be tested.
This involves the surgical removal of an enlarged lymph node, referred to as an excisional biopsy.
The biopsy is performed in a hospital on an outpatient basis in an operating room.
You are provided withgeneral anesthesiaprior to the surgery to make you sleep.
A local anesthetic may also be injected to numb the site of the incision.
From start to finish, the biopsy can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
(In Europe, an alternate system called the Binet classification is more commonly used.)
The Rai classification is broken down as follows:
How Is SLL Treated?
This spares you from therapies that can cause harmful side effects and undermine your quality of life.
The treatment of SLL typically begins when B symptoms develop and interfere with your ability to perform daily activities.
Treatment may also be indicated if the absolute lymphocyte count doubles within the span of 12 months.
The drugs fludarabine and Cytoxin (cyclophosphamide) are usually the backbones of most chemotherapy regimens.
The monoclonal antibody Rituxan (rituximab) may also be added to chemotherapy.
With SLL, the drugs target different proteins on the surface of the cancer cells that affect cell growth.
Copiktra comes with a warning regarding a possible increased risk of death and serious side effects.
In addition, discuss any questions or concerns you may have, including possible alternative treatments.
It is a high-risk procedure.
This procedure is used to extend life and reduce symptoms rather than cure the disease.
In the United States, the 5-year survival rate for small lymphocytic lymphoma is 87.5%.
This means 87.5% of people with SLL will live 5 years or longer after diagnosis.
Many people with SLL live for far longer.
Some people diagnosed in their 60s and 70s could very well live normal life spans.
A Word From Verywell
It can be extremely unnerving to be told you have SLL.
This is perfectly normal.
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