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Umbrella graphic with 'WCCLD' wording superimposed on top

Researchers from Oxford Centre for Haematology (OCH) are joining celebrations for the first world CLL day on 1 September 2021.  

Chronic lymphoid leukaemia (CLL) is a type of blood cancer, where white blood cells called lymphocytes proliferate to cause disease. Often people with CLL have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease, although there is often progression to symptoms of fatigue, fever, night sweats, weight loss, frequent infections and enlarged lymph nodes. The best clinical outcomes are possible when CLL is diagnosed during the early stages of disease. Education is therefore very important, so that the general public are alerted to spot this type of leukaemia early on. Working with charities such as CLL Advocates, CLL support, and CURE Leukaemia, is especially valuable so that we can work together to broadcast our message to seek medical advice when such symptoms arise.  

CLL most commonly affects older adults and has a range of treatments available which include chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants. Clinician Dr Toby Eyre at University of Oxford Hospital heads up European recruiting for a pioneering clinical trial into the use of loxo305 for use in CLL and related non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The BRUIN trial is currently open to UK CLL patients to test the clinical effectiveness of loxo305 compared to current treatment in terms of improved life expectancy and reduced side effects.  

“We are thankful for the patients enrolled in the BRUIN trial, which we hope will lead to improved treatments for many patients globally”, remarked Dr Toby Eyre, from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and OCH member. 

Close partnerships are essential in the fight against cancer, for example the recently established network Oxford Cancer brings together cancer research happening across Oxford University, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and industry partners, with the core aim of facilitating collaboration across disciplines, to ensure rapid translation from scientific discovery into treatments for patients.  With over 1000 cancer research scientists spread across the city and beyond, Oxford is ideally placed to enable and combine the best research and clinical resources in order to innovate cancer treatment and care world-wide. 

“World CLL Day is a fantastic opportunity to bring together patients, scientists, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies to celebrate the achievements made in treatment of this disease, raise awareness, and focus efforts on improved diagnostics and treatment options for the future,” said Clinical Haematology consultant and OCH member Dr Graham Collins. 

Read more about the work of Oxford Centre for Haematology in fighting blood cancer: https://www.rdm.ox.ac.uk/OCH