Key clinical point: Compared with chemoimmunotherapy, second-line targeted therapies improved treatment-free survival (TFS) and tended to improve overall survival (OS) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including those who were frail and had comorbidities.
Major finding: The 3-year TFS and estimated OS rates were higher in patients receiving targeted therapies (63%, 95% CI 50%-76%; and 79%, 95% CI 68%-91%, respectively) vs fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab or bendamustine and rituximab (FCR/BR; 37%,; 95% CI 26%-48%; and 70%, 95% CI 60%-81%, respectively) or chlorambucil+/−CD20-antibody (CD20Clb/Clb; 22%, 95% CI 10%-33%; and 60%, 95% CI 47%-74%, respectively). The grade ≥3 adverse event rate was similar with targeted treatment and FCR/BR.
Study details: This retrospective population-based real-world study included 286 patients with CLL who relapsed or were refractory to first-line treatment and received second-line targeted treatment (ibrutinib+venetoclax, venetoclax, venetoclax+rituximab/obinutuzumab, idelalisib, or idelalisib+rituximab), FCR/BR, or CD20Clb/Clb.
Disclosures: This study was partly supported by grants from Rigshospitalets Foundation. Some authors reported ties with various sources.
Source: Vainer N et al. Real-world outcomes upon second-line treatment in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Br J Haematol. 2023 (Mar 10). Doi: 10.1111/bjh.18715