Targeted Therapies
Most new “small molecules” can be taken by mouth. Many work by blocking pathways that the cancer cells have pirated and become addicted to such as signaling pathways. Examples include ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, duvelisib and others. Others, such as venetoclax, remove blockades that the cancer has created which prevent natural cell death. These therapies target the cancer and spare most healthy cells.
ARTICLES ON TARGETED THERAPIES
An accelerated five-day venetoclax in hospital ramp-up, called SAVE (Safe Accelerated Venetoclax Escalation), can be done safely for most chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients with an acceptably low risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS).
BTK is a good therapeutic target in CLL because it is only critical for the function of B-cells, and thus loss of BTK is not lethal for the patient.
This real-world study found that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treated with first-line acalabrutinib were more likely to need to change therapies or add an additional therapy compared with patients treated with ibrutinib.
With the introduction of acalabrutinib and zanubrutinib, which have fewer side effects, the hope is that fewer patients will need to stop treatment due to adverse events and that they will be able to stay on BTKi therapy for longer.
Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) degraders are a new therapeutic area that might be able to overcome mutations that cause resistance to BTK inhibitors.
Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) degraders are a new therapeutic area that might be able to overcome mutations that cause resistance to BTK inhibitors.
RECENT NEWS
When appropriate, the CLL Society will be posting updates and background information on the present Coronavirus pandemic focusing on reliable primary sources of information and avoiding most of the news that is not directly from reliable medical experts or government and world health agencies.
