Dr. Ruan on the Impact of BTK Inhibitors in MCL

Jia Ruan, MD, PhD, associate professor of clinical medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, discusses the impact of BTK inhibitors in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

Over the past decade, the armamentarium has evolved to include a number of targeted agents that allow for greater personalization based on efficacy and adverse effects (AEs). This was spearheaded by agents such as proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory compounds.

However, the agents that have made a real impact are the BTK inhibitors, says Ruan. Three BTK inhibitors––ibrutinib (Imbruvica), acalabrutinib (Calquence), and zanubrutinib (Brukinsa)––are approved and are available for treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. Each of their associated AEs vary, says Ruan.

These oral agents can lead to overall responses in the range of 60% to 80% and complete remissions in 20% to 50% of patients. BTK inhibitors have become very active agents that are being incorporated into combinations with chemotherapy or with other biological agents in the frontline and relapsed/refractory settings, concludes Ruan.