Patients with early stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia: new risk stratification based on molecular profiling.

We investigated molecular and biological parameters reflecting the biology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that may help us to predict the time to first treatment (TTT). A group of 33 patients with newly diagnosed CLL (Binet stage A) were analyzed. We developed a new scoring system based on the serum levels of β(2)-microglobulin (β(2)M) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Patients with a score of 0 had a TTT of 58.4 months, while patients with a score of 3 (increased levels of β(2)M, LPL, and VEGF) had a significantly shorter TTT of only 10.6 months (p < 0.0001).