| Exclusion Criteria: | 1) Presence of 2008 IWCLL/NCI-WG indication for CLL treatment: Constitutional symptoms related to CLL/SLL: Fever > 100.5 degrees F for >/= 2 weeks or night sweats for > 1 mo, both without evidence of infection; Unintentional weight loss of >/= 10% body weight in previous 6 months; Extreme fatigue (ECOG PS > 2; inability to work or perform usual activities); Lymphocyte doubling time of </= 6 months or 50% increase in absolute lymphocyte count within 2 months; Progressive anemia (Rai stage III) or thrombocytopenia (Rai stage IV); Recurrent infections unrelated to hypogammaglobulinemia; Autoimmune phenomenon poorly responsive to corticosteroids or other standard therapy; Massive, progressive or symptomatic lymphadenopathy (> 10 cm in longest diameter) or splenomegaly (> 6 cm below left costal margin)
2) Prior or concurrent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy for CLL
3) Active infection (febrile and requiring IV/PO antibiotics), including hepatitis C or HIV, or significant medical illness including renal, cardiac, pulmonary disease, or current active hepatic or biliary disease (with exception of patients with Gilbert's syndrome, asymptomatic gallstones, liver metastases or stable chronic liver disease per investigator assessment)
4) Positive serology for Hepatitis B virus (HB) defined as a positive test for HBsAg. In addition, if negative for HBsAg but HBcAb positive (regardless of HBsAb status), a HB DNA test will be performed and if positive, the patient will be excluded.
5) Pregnant or breast feeding females are not eligible. |