Surveillance CT scans for CLL in remission – pro
ESMO Guideline sayd: “Follow-up of asymptomatic patients should include a blood cell count every 3–6 months, as well as a regular examinations of lymph nodes, liver and spleen. Special attention should be paid to the appearance of autoimmune cytopenias (autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenia) that occur in 10%–15% of CLL patients and disease transformation”. Eichorst recommended similarly in a 2011 article that: “CT scans not be used for CLL staging or follow-up outside of clinical trials, as supported by the current IWCLL guidelines.” Oscier et al write: ““Pre- and post-treatment computed tomography (CT) scanning should be considered for patients treated with more intensive therapies. There is no role for routine surveillance CT scans in asymptomatic patients post treatment (grade C2).”
B. Eichhorst et al, Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: ESMO Minimum Clinical Recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, Ann Oncol (2009) 20 (suppl 4): iv102-iv104.
Oscier D, Dearden C, Erem E, Fegan C, Follows G, Hillmen P, Illidge T, Matutes E, Milligan DW, Pettitt A, Schuh A, Wimperis J. Guidelines on the diagnosis, investigation and management of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. London (England): British Society for Haematology; 2012. 64 p. [177 references]
Eichhorst BF, Fischer K, Fink AM, et al. Limited clinical relevance of imaging techniques in the follow-up of patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia: results of a meta-analysis. Blood. 2010.
Barbara F. EichhorstLimited clinical relevance of imaging techniques in the follow-up of patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia: results of a meta-analysis, Blood, 10 February 2011, Vol. 117, No. 6, pp. 1817-1821.