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Richard- I assume that
Richard-
I assume that implicit in your question is the absence of any treatment (since chemo and radiation both cause problems in appetite). In that case, although weight loss is one of several non-specific symptoms for CLL, I'm not aware of its causes in CLL being any different than the causes of weight loss for most any cancer.
For instance, just knowing you have cancer can lead to depression, fear, and/or anxiety, all of which can decrease one's appetite. This could especially apply to a very slow-growing cancer such as CLL, where early-stage patients are often not even treated. Also, cancer can make people feel full despite not having eaten very much, leading to weight loss.
In solid tumor cancers (CLL is not a solid tumor cancer, but a blood cancer) tumors often rob the body of nutrients to feed their own growth. CLL is characterized by a proliferation of white blood cells, but although they can gather in lymph nodes or bone marrow or around an organ like the spleen, this isn't quite the same thing-- at least according to my understanding. That might be wrong.
At any rate, there is no more important prognostic indicator for oncologists than one's weight, meaning that doing one's best to maintain weight and get the right nutrition can make a tremendous difference in outcome.
Ross
Ross- Thank you for your
Ross-
Thank you for your reply. I've known of my CLL for 6 and I know it could go for decade's before it could get large enough for treatment. A year ago mine got to that point and my Dr. started me on Chemo and I've had two cycle's since.
The reason I ask the weight loss question was just to see what kind of a response I'd get, as I've never used this website before. The first if not second thing my Dr. looks at is my weight and if it drops any my Dr. is telling me to eat more. My weight hasn't really change more then 5-10 lbs since my teen's so if there is any change it concerns my Dr..
Thanks again and basically you reinforced what my Dr. has said and what it is I have to do, eat more along with a better Diet.
Richard