An approach to anxiety during watch-and-wait for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Monitor and move on

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is the most frequently diagnosed hematologic malignancy with the majority of patients at diagnosis in the “watch and wait” stage of treatment – language that gives the perception of an axe waiting to fall, belying the fact that up to 30% of patients will never need treatment in their lifetime. While receiving active surveillance, patients report anxiety, distress, and depression, yet there is little research capturing the experience of this patient population, nor describing interventions to improve their experience (Damen, 2022). In an effort to “do something,” patients may turn to often expensive and unproven alternative therapies. At each clinic visit, there is an opportunity to provide relevant and understandable information, resources to address anxiety, and response to unmet needs to increase the patient’s experience of shared decision making. Reframing the experience to a more proactive perspective such as ‘Monitor and Move On’ versus “Watch and Wait’ may empower patients with CLL along their trajectory.