Response to therapy as prognostic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

In 56 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia the value of clinical staging and response to therapy were analyzed. 51 patients were given therapy. Actuarial survival curves for patients who showed a complete or partial remission differed significantly for patients who either improved or in whom therapy failed (p less than 0.001). The 5-year survival fraction was significantly better determined by response to therapy than by clinical staging. 5-year survival fraction for stage O + I + II was 59%, and for III + IV 27% (not significant, p = 0.08). 5-year survival fraction for patients with failure or only improvement to therapy was 20%, and with complete or partial remission 72% (significant, p = 0.003).