Etiology and epidemiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an indolent malignancy resulting from an accumulation of CD5-positive neoplastic B-cells, which are characterized by a low rate of proliferation. Despite being the most common lymphoid malignancy in Western countries, CLL remains an incurable condition. It is characterized by one of the highest familial risks of any cancer, providing evidence that inherited genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing CLL. In the past decade, common genetic variants that confer an increased risk of CLL have been described in over 30 genomic regions. Future studies are likely to identify additional risk loci and to decipher the molecular mechanisms behind their effects.