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Living With Cancer:Coping With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Living With Cancer:Coping With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Fortunately, the days when cancer could never be treated are long behind us. A lot of research has been done in recent decades and it is bearing fruit. New treatment methods are constantly being developed. New methods have also been added recently for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

living-with-chronic-lymphatic-leukemia

Did you know that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia in the Netherlands? It is a type of blood cancer that develops in the lymph nodes. Every year, about 600 people in our country are diagnosed with CLL. This often concerns people older than 60 years, but that does not mean that younger people cannot get sick. The disease is also twice as common in men than in women. Because the disease sometimes gives no symptoms at all, CLL is by no means always detected.

Possible symptoms CLL

In this type of leukemia, there is a disruption of the B lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, in the lymph nodes. It is still unclear how this disruption occurs. It is now clear that the B lymphocytes also divide faster than healthy lymphocytes due to this disruption. The result is an accumulation of this in the lymph nodes, which can cause them to swell. That is not the only consequence; it can also enlarge the spleen, causing the abdomen to suddenly thicken and appetite to decrease. The malignant cells can accumulate not only in the lymph nodes, but also in the bone marrow and in the blood. They displace healthy cells there, which can lead to all kinds of deficiencies. This often causes vague, difficult to explain symptoms, such as paleness, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness and sometimes even heart problems.

Treatment of CLL

In people who walk around with CLL undetected, the disease process is slow. Sometimes the condition is discovered accidentally, after which immediate treatment is often not necessary. A routine of routine examinations is then initiated to monitor the course of the disease. Are there any complaints? In that case, treatment is often carried out. Chemotherapy in combination with immunotherapy is often chosen. In this case it is all about keeping the disease under control. However, there are many more treatment methods. Not only in the Netherlands, but also abroad. TheSocialMedwork enables legal and safe access to medication in countries where these treatment methods are not yet on the market.

Access-to-safe-treatment-methods

It's understandable that you look for treatments when you're dealing with illness. Then it would be nice if you could not only look for this in the Netherlands, but also abroad. You can often go abroad for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia treatments. For example, Calquence (acalabrutinib) could be used as a medication. This medicine is a kinase inhibitor, which can be used as monotherapy if other treatments have already been used. When used as the first treatment method, it may be prescribed in combination with Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab). Treatment methods with Imbruvica (ibrutinib) and with Venclyxto/Venclexta (venetoclax) are also already being used in various countries. Both agents can be used if at least one other treatment has already been used. Do you want to use medication that is not yet on the market in the Netherlands? Then TheSocialMedwork can support you in the process of legally obtaining the medication. This brings the right treatment one step closer!

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