Review of a phase III trial of idelalisib + rituximab in previously treated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Andrew Zelenetz, MD: A lot of people ask, “Is adding the anti-CD20 important?” This is actually the way the study was done. There was a second study done in low-grade lymphomas that included small lymphocytic lymphoma, which was idelalisib monotherapy. Actually, there were very high response rates in the patients with small lymphocytic lymphoma, which is a lymphomatosis form of CLL [chronic lymphocytic leukemia]. It’s not clear that the anti-CD20 antibody is essential to combine with idelalisib. How many people use the combination? Because that’s actually how it’s FDA approved for the management of relapsed and refractory CLL.
What are some of the alternatives? There are alternatives. If one doesn’t want to switch to an alternative BTK [bruton tyrosine kinase] inhibitor, we have the results of the MURANO trial. That it was a combination of rituximab and venetoclax. The rituximab is given for 6 months, and venetoclax is given for 2 years. This is a situation therapy and a highly effective therapy because you are not treating to resistance. There’s the potential to reuse venetoclax, because there’s evidence of disease progression. Other options include investigational PI3 kinase inhibitors that have reduced toxicity, including parsaclisib, zandelisib, and umbralisib. All seem to have very high activity in CLL, but for CLL these are all investigational agents and are available only in the city of a clinical trial.
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Case: A 77-Year-Old Man With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Initial Presentation
Clinical Workup
Hem/Onc Workup
Treatment
Leslie Reviews Relevant Data for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory CLL
May 8th 2024During a Case-Based Roundtable® event, Lori A. Leslie, MD, discussed Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibition options for a patient with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the first article of a 2-part series.
Read More
Marks Explores Cardiac Toxicities and Dosing Concerns of BTK Inhibitors in CLL
April 26th 2024During a Case-Based Roundtable® event, Stanley M. Marks, MD, moderated a discussion on the impact of cardiac adverse events on patients who receive a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Read More
Considering the Durability of Zanubrutinib in Relapsed/Refractory CLL
April 11th 2024During a Case-Based Roundtable® event, Marc S. Hoffmann, MD, discussed his viewpoints on the use of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors for patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and the efficacy behind zanubrutinib in the second article of a 2-part series.
Read More
Acalabrutinib/Obinutuzumab Shows Improved PFS in Treatment-Naive CLL
April 10th 2024In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Jeff Sharman, MD, discussed the results of the ELEVATE-TN trial of acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab at 74.5 months of follow-up among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Read More