Dr. Raphael on the Treatment Landscape of CLL

Bruce G. Raphael, MD, a clinical professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health, discusses the treatment landscape of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Historically, CLL was thought to be a slow progressing disease for which symptom management was the only intervention, says Raphael.

However, novel agents including CD20-directed antibodies, BTK inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, and BCL-2 targeted agents have demonstrated improved survival for patients compared with chemotherapy.

As a result, chemotherapy regimens like fludarabine/cyclophosphamide/rituximab (Rituxan; FCR) and bendamustine/rituximab have become less widespread in the treatment of patients with CLL, explains Raphael. Now, the field is working to define the combinations that will elicit the greatest response for patients, concludes Raphael.