Dr. Cohen on Fixed-Duration Therapy in CLL

Jonathon B. Cohen, MD, MS, associate professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, co-director, Lymphoma Program, and medical director, Infusion Services, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, discusses fixed-duration therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Although ibrutinib (Imbruvica) is an active and well tolerated agent in CLL, it is given indefinitely, says Cohen. Although some patients do not mind taking a pill indefinitely, others would prefer a fixed-duration therapy to offset some of the financial and treatment-related toxicities of the BTK inhibitor.

As such, there is a lot of interest in evaluating time-limited therapy with combination therapies whereby patients who achieve a deep response could potentially discontinue therapy, concludes Cohen.