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High-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia
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Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is predominantly a disease of the elderly, with uniquely heterogeneous course. Advanced age has consistently been associated with a poor prognosis in patients with CLL, predominantly due to the frequent occurrence of comorbid conditions. Older and/or comorbid patients with CLL may not tolerate more aggressive approach and in these patients, chlorambucil, especially combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, is recommended as the first-line treatment. In physically fit patients without deletion of 17p or TP53 deletion/mutation FCR (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab) is the standard first-line therapy. Patients carrying deletion of 17p or mutations of TP53 have a poor response to chemoimmunotherapy. In these patients alemtuzumab-based regimens are frequently used but until recently only allogeneic stem cell transplantation holds the prospect for longer survival. Recently targeted therapies with B-cell receptor pathway inhibitors, ibrutinib and idelalisib or BCL-2 antagonist venetoclax (ABT-199) are associated with remarkable activity in patients with del(17p).
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is predominantly a disease of the elderly, with uniquely heterogeneous course. Advanced age has consistently been associated with a poor prognosis in patients with CLL, predominantly due to the frequent occurrence of comorbid conditions. Older and/or comorbid patients with CLL may not tolerate more aggressive approach and in these patients, chlorambucil, especially combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, is recommended as the first-line treatment. In physically fit patients without deletion of 17p or TP53 deletion/mutation FCR (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab) is the standard first-line therapy. Patients carrying deletion of 17p or mutations of TP53 have a poor response to chemoimmunotherapy. In these patients alemtuzumab-based regimens are frequently used but until recently only allogeneic stem cell transplantation holds the prospect for longer survival. Recently targeted therapies with B-cell receptor pathway inhibitors, ibrutinib and idelalisib or BCL-2 antagonist venetoclax (ABT-199) are associated with remarkable activity in patients with del(17p).
Keywords
ABT-199; 17p deletion; Ibrutinib; Idelalisib; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Biological age
About this articleTitle
High-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Journal
Issue
Pages
68-74
Published online
2015-04-01
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94
Article views/downloads
555
DOI
10.1016/j.achaem.2015.02.010
Bibliographic record
Acta Haematol Pol 2015;46(2):68-74.
Keywords
ABT-199
17p deletion
Ibrutinib
Idelalisib
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Biological age
Authors
Tadeusz Robak