| Inclusion Criteria: | 1) Group 1. Diagnosis of previously treated B-CLL Rai III-IV or earlier stage disease with evidence of "active disease" as defined by the NCI-sponsored working group 1) weight loss of >10% in prior 6 months, 2) extreme fatigue, 3) fever or night sweats without evidence of infection, 4) worsening anemia or thrombocytopenia, 5) progressive lymphocytosis with a rapid lymphocyte doubling time, 6) marked hypogammaglobulinemia or paraproteinemia, 7) lymphadenopathy >5 cm in diameter.
2) Group 2. Diagnosis of previously untreated B-CLL with Rai stage 0-II disease but high risk for progression based on B2-microglobulin >3.0 mg/mL, or with symptoms or significant fatigue.
3) Group 3. Patients age 70 years of age and older with previously untreated B-CLL and Rai stage III-IV or earlier stage disease with indication for treatment who refused chemotherapy.
4) Age 15 years or above.
5) Adequate renal and hepatic functions (creatinine <2.5 mg/dL, bilirubin <2 mg/dL). Patients with renal or liver dysfunction due to organ infiltration by lymphocytes are eligible, as are patients with elevated bilirubin and history consistent with Gilbert's disease.
6) Performance status <3 (Zubrod Scale).
7) No active viral hepatitis |