Dr. Winter on the Role of Frontline Targeted Therapies in CLL

Allison Winter, MD, hematologist/medical oncologist, Cleveland Clinic, discusses the role of frontline targeted therapies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Historically, when it came to frontline treatment selection for patients with CLL, factors such as fluorescence in situ hybridization scores andimmunoglobulin heavy chain results played important roles; however, now that the CLL space is shifting away from the use of chemotherapy, this is no longer the case, Winter says.

Notably, as targeted therapies continue to take the stage in the CLL treatment paradigm, only younger patients with an IGHV-mutated status, who do not harbor 17p or 11q deletions, are being considered for frontline chemotherapy. The majority of patients with CLL, including those with high-risk disease, are now being treated with targeted therapies, Winter explains.

With the number of targeted therapies available, patient preference is critical. Gaining a deeper understanding of the patient’s life, along with what is important to them, is of paramount importance, especially in terms of optimizing their quality of life, Winter concludes.