Improved survival in chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the past decade: a population-based study including 11,179 patients diagnosed between 1973–2003 in Sweden

Background Clinical management of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients has changed considerably over the last years, reflected in an increased use of prognostic markers, new therapeutic agents and procedures, and supportive care measures. However, to date, clinical trials have not shown a survival benefit.Design and Methods Using population-based data from Sweden, we assessed variations in survival among all chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients (n=11,179) reported from 1973–2003. Relative survival ratios were computed as measures of patient survival.Results Overall we found significantly improved (p