Context Recent advancements in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment modalities have led to improved patient outcomes, including quality of life (QoL). Such QoL data have primarily been derived from eligible patients undergoing therapy as part of a clinical trial with limited data from real-world patients. Current CLL therapies are not deemed curable, making QoL an important consideration in patient management. Approximately 80% of newly diagnosed patients are managed on active surveillance until International Workshop on CLL criteria for therapy are met. More than 60% of patients are over the age of 65 with comorbid conditions that can be exacerbated either by CLL-related symptoms during active surveillance or by therapy. Clinicians caring for CLL patients should be cognizant of factors impacting QoL in an effort to optimize clinical decision-making while aligning with patient goals. Objectives Systematically review and summarize QoL data from research conducted with adult CLL patients at any point in the disease continuum. Identify knowledge gaps in the literature with implications for future interventional-based research aimed at improving QoL in CLL patients. Design A systematic literature search using appropriate key words was conducted in Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify studies published from 2009 to 2020. The focus population consisted of CLL patients ≥18 years old affected by any disease stage or treatment status. All studies using self-reported QoL or a symptom instrument were eligible for inclusion. Results Searches of Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO yielded 445 studies with 54 meeting eligibility for inclusion. Two-author review is underway in Covidence, with a final report to be presented at the meeting. Conclusions The impact of QoL throughout the CLL disease continuum is an important consideration for patient management. Clinicians should incorporate known concepts affecting QoL into CLL management algorithms as part of a multidisciplinary approach to optimize shared decision-making in patient care. Improved understanding of QoL in CLL patients provides the framework for designing effective interventions to address unmet patient needs. Further QoL research is needed in real-world CLL patients.
