Dr. Ahn on Choosing Between Treatment Options in CLL

Inhye Ahn, MD, physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, faculty of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses choosing between treatment options in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Fixed-duration therapy or continuous therapy can be considered for most patients with CLL, Ahn says. When deciding on the best approach for an individual patient, factors to inform that decision include prior treatment status, patient preference, and adverse effects of each agent, Ahn says. Cardiovascular AEs are associated with BTK inhibitors, making it important to understand if a patient has a history of cardiovascular disease, Ahn explains.

If patients prefer to not take medication daily, this can also affect treatment decisions, since a venetoclax (Venclexta)-based regimen could be preferable over a daily BTK inhibitor, Ahn concludes.