Chronic lymphocytic leukemia most commonly presents in which population?

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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is predominantly a disease of aging. The incidence rises with age, and it is the most common leukemia diagnosed in adults in many Western populations, with a median age at diagnosis around the seventh decade. Pediatric cases are rare, making it uncommon in children or neonates. Many patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis and are found on routine labs showing lymphocytosis, but when symptoms occur they reflect the disease burden: painless lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, fatigue, and increased susceptibility to infections due to immune dysfunction. This age distribution explains why middle-aged and older adults are the population in which it most commonly presents.