Leukemia

San Diego, CA—Results with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy have been less robust in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) compared with B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Preliminary studies presented at ASH 2018 suggested that a strategy of using CAR T-cell therapy to augment the response to ibrutinib (Imbruvica) holds promise in patients with CLL.

Orlando, FL—The discontinuation of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is considered safe and appropriate in consenting patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) under specific circumstances and with careful molecular monitoring, according to the updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) management guideline for CML.

San Francisco, CA—Many patients with leukemia or lymphoma who receive treatment with anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy achieve minimum residual disease (MRD) negativity, and many are in complete remission well beyond 12 months.

San Diego, CA—A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that targets CD19 and CD22 molecules has demonstrated safety and efficacy, in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic lymphoma (ALL), with response rates consistent with CAR T-cell therapies that target CD19 alone.

San Diego, CA—A 2-year duration of combination immunotherapy with ven­etoclax (Venclexta) and rituximab (Ri­tuxan) improved survival compared with standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy combination with bendamustine (Ben­deka) plus rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to follow-up data from the MURANO clinical trial presented at ASH 2018. Early results were first presented at ASH 2017.

San Diego, CA—The BCL2 Gly101Val mutation is the first genomic alteration to be identified as responsible for resistance to venetoclax (Venclexta), a potent and effective medication indicated for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The BCL2 Gly101Val mutation is unique to CLL and so far has not been described in other cancers.

San Diego, CA—More than 40% of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) associated with an IDH2 mutation achieved complete remission when treated with the IDH2 inhibitor enasidenib (Idhifa), according to results of a mutation-driven clinical trial substudy presented at ASH 2018.

San Diego, CA—Front-line ibrutinib (Imbruvica) therapy results in a lower rate of disease progression or death than the current standard-of-care chemoimmunotherapy with bendamustine (Ben­deka) and rituximab (Rituxan) in older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Adding rituximab to ibrutinib did not improve outcomes compared with ibrutinib alone, reported Jennifer A. Woyach, MD, Associate Professor, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, at ASH 2018.

Chemoimmunotherapy with chlor­ambucil plus obinutuzumab or bendamustine plus rituximab is standard frontline treatment for older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, chemoimmunotherapy is associated with toxic effects, and the risk increases with age.