Dr. Furman on Current Treatment Options in CLL
Richard R. Furman, MD, discusses current treatment options in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Richard R. Furman, MD, director, the CLL Research Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, member, the Lymphoma/Myeloma Service, the Division of Hematology/Oncology, discusses current treatment options in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Making treatment decisions for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL depends on prior frontline therapy, and how the patient tolerated and responded to that therapy, Furman says. For patients who have progressed on a BTK inhibitor, adding venetoclax (Venclexta) to the BTK inhibitor can create a synergistic effect and allow patients to receive the treatment prior to developing high tumor burdens and the risk of tumor lysis, Furman explains.
This option is particularly appealing for patients who progress on BTK inhibitors, since there is the risk of patients experiencing rapid progression with the discontinuation of the BTK inhibitor, Furman concludes.
