Integrated CLL Scoring System, a New and Simple Index to Predict Time to Treatment and Overall Survival in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract Introduction Several prognostic factors have been identified to predict the outcome of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but only a few studies analyzed more markers together. Patients and Methods Taking advantage of a population of 608 patients, we identified the strongest prognostic markers of survival and, subsequently, in a cohort of 212 patients we integrated data of cytogenetic lesions, IGHV mutational status, and CD38 expression in a new and easy scoring system we called the integrated CLL scoring system (ICSS). ICSS defines 3 groups of risk: (1) low risk (patients with 13q − or normal fluorescence in-situ hybridization analysis results, mutated IGHV, and CD38) (2) high risk (all 11q − or 17p − patients and/or all unmutated IGHV and CD38 + patients); and (3) intermediate risk (all remaining patients). Results Using only these 3 already available prognostic factors, we were able to properly redefine patients and better predict the clinical course of the disease. Conclusion ICSS could become a useful tool for CLL patients' management.