About CLL
Safety Information
 

Understanding Medical Tests for CLL

Medical tests are needed to diagnose CLL and find out how far along your disease is.

Common tests to diagnose CLL include:

  • Physical exam—your doctor will give you a physical exam to check for swollen lymph nodes, liver, or spleen (an organ in your abdomen), or other signs of CLL
  • Blood cell counts—your blood is taken through a vein and examined. Most people with CLL have a high white blood cell count
  • Biopsy—a lymph node or small sample of bone marrow is removed and viewed under a microscope to see if it is CLL
  • Flow cytometry—your blood is examined to find out the type of cancer and number of cells involved

Common tests to find out how far along your CLL is include:

  • Imaging tests such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, or PET scans— these are pictures of inside your body that help show where the CLL is
 
 

How much testing can you expect?

The types and frequency of medical tests will vary. Most people with CLL will have regular physical exams, blood tests, and occasional imaging tests to monitor their health.

This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Discuss with your doctor any questions you have about your medical condition or your treatment.

Next Section CLL Stages

Indications

RITUXAN® (Rituximab) is indicated in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC chemotherapy) for the treatment of patients with:

  • Previously untreated CD20-positive CLL
  • Previously treated CD20-positive CLL

People with serious infections should not receive RITUXAN.

Safety Information

  • RITUXAN can cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including: infusion reactions, tumor lysis syndrome (TLS; kidney failure due to fast breakdown of cancer cells), severe skin and mouth reactions, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML; a rare, serious brain infection).
  • RITUXAN has also been associated with serious and life-threatening side effects, including: the return of active hepatitis B virus infection with sudden and serious liver problems including liver failure, and death, other serious infections that can lead to death, heart problems, kidney problems, and stomach and serious bowel problems including blockage and tears in the bowel that can sometimes lead to death.
  • The most common side effects of RITUXAN seen in clinical trials of patients with CLL were infusion reactions and low white blood cells, which can increase the risk of infections. Before starting treatment with RITUXAN it is important for you to talk to your doctor about your medical history.
  • Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects with RITUXAN. For more information, ask your doctor.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide, in PDF format.