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Advances in first‐line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: current recommendations on management and first‐line treatment by the German CLL Study Group ( GCLLSG )
Author(s) -
Cramer Paula,
Langerbeins Petra,
Eichhorst Barbara,
Hallek Michael
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0902-4441
DOI - 10.1111/ejh.12678
Subject(s) - chemoimmunotherapy , obinutuzumab , ibrutinib , fludarabine , bendamustine , rituximab , medicine , chlorambucil , ofatumumab , chronic lymphocytic leukemia , idelalisib , oncology , alemtuzumab , cyclophosphamide , immunology , leukemia , chemotherapy , lymphoma , transplantation
The management of patients with CLL is undergoing significant changes; during the last decade, the outcome of first‐line therapies has been markedly improved with the addition of anti‐ CD 20 antibodies to chemotherapy. Today, chemoimmunotherapy for physically fit patients ≤65 years should consist of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab ( FCR ). The combination of bendamustine and rituximab ( BR ) should be considered in physically fit patients >65 years and in patients with a higher risk of infections. Patients with reduced fitness and/or relevant comorbidity should receive chlorambucil with a CD 20 antibody, preferably obinutuzumab. Regardless of their fitness, patients with CLL carrying genetic aberrations such as del(17p) and/or TP53 mutation poorly respond to chemoimmunotherapy and therefore require different therapeutic approaches. An increasing understanding of the disease biology has led to the development of targeted drugs for the treatment of CLL , such as the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib and PI3K inhibitor idelalisib. These agents have shown efficacy in high‐risk and relapsed/refractory patients and are currently being evaluated in clinical trials for first‐line therapy. It is anticipated that these compounds and further other novel agents will profoundly change the therapy of CLL .