At this time, CLL remains an incurable disorder; however, treatment can often control the disease and its symptoms.

Many people with CLL continue to have a relatively normal and active lifestyle for many years--in some cases for decades. In this way, CLL is quite unlike acute leukemias which are far more devastating. Many new treatments for CLL are currently under investigation, and there is good reason for newly diagnosed patients to feel hopeful that long term remissions are reasonably possible. Perhaps a cure is also just around the corner. Bone marrow transplantation currently offers promise as a potential cure, in that several CLL patients who have had bone marrow transplants have had no recurrence of disease.

Patients are encouraged not to panic and not to think of CLL as a "death sentence".