Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD, chair, Hematology/Oncology, Mayo Clinic in Florida, discusses ibrutinib as a backbone of treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

It is critical for patients with relapsed CLL to have ibrutinib as the backbone of their treatment plan and in the management of their disease, Chanan-Khan explains. Ibrutinib is found to be effective because it improves progression-free and overall survival.

In a recent study examining the combination of ibrutinib with bendamustine and ritxuimab in patients with CLL and SLL, no safety concerns were observed. Therefore, ibrutinib can be seen as a well-tolerated and safe agent for patients, Chanan-Khan adds.

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Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD, chair, Hematology/Oncology, Mayo Clinic in Florida, discusses ibrutinib as a backbone of treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).


Dr. Chanan-Khan on Ibrutinib as Backbone of Treatment for CLL

Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD, chair, Hematology/Oncology, Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, discusses the mechanism of action of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) combined with rituximab and bendamustine as treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Bendamustine has long been determined by researchers as an impactful treatment in CLL, Chanan-Khan explains. Rituximab also has known benefits in patients as an immunotherapy, while ibrutinib is able to directly target the cancer cells. This triplet provides different ways to target these cells and provide clinically meaningful benefits to patients, he adds.

However, it is too early to determine if this triplet has curative potential, Chanan-Khan says.

Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD, chair, Hematology/Oncology, Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, discusses ibrutinib (Imbruvica) combined with rituximab and bendamustine (BR) as treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) from a mechanism of action point of view.

Dr. Chanan-Khan Discusses Ibrutinib and BR in CLL

Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD, chair, Hematology/Oncology, Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, discusses a recent study that examined ibrutinib combined with bendamustine and ritxuimab (BR) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).

The randomized, placebo-controlled study enrolled 578 patients with two cohorts. Patients either received six cycles of BR with ibrutinib or placebo. At the time of progression, or at the completion of the sixth cycle, patients were either permitted to continue dosage with ibrutinib or placebo. The primary endpoint of the study was progression-free survival (PFS). Median PFS was 17 months. Patients in the ibrutinib arm, Chanan-Khan adds, have not yet met their PFS.

The significant hazard ratio demonstrates that the risk of death or disease progression is decreased by 80 percent among those patients administered ibrutinib. Chanan-Khan describes this as practice-changing data.

View more from the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting

Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD, chair, Hematology/Oncology, Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, discusses a recent study that examined ibrutinib combined with bendamustine and ritxuimab (BR) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). 

Asher A. Chanan-Khan, MD

Articles

Dr. Chanan-Khan on Ibrutinib as Backbone of Treatment for CLL

Dr. Chanan-Khan Discusses Ibrutinib and BR in CLL

Dr. Chanan-Khan on Ibruitinib Combined with BR in CLL/SLL