Dr. Burke on the Potential of Time-Limited BTK Inhibitor Therapy in B-Cell Malignancies

John M. Burke, MD, associate chair of the Hematology Research Program for US Oncology and medical oncologist and hematologist at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, discusses the potential benefits of time-limited therapy with BTK inhibitors in B-cell malignancies.

Whether BTK inhibitors have to be given continuously to maintain their efficacy remains unanswered, says Burke. Moreover, the majority of trials to date have evaluated indefinite BTK inhibitor therapy.

However, continuous BTK inhibitor treatment can cause additive toxicities over years, as well as added cost to the health care system, Burke explains. Additionally, many patients prefer to stop therapy rather than continue on the drug indefinitely.

Stopping therapy after patients achieve an early clinical benefit appears to be an ideal approach to BTK inhibitor treatment, Burke says.

Currently, trials are evaluating novel combinations to see if patients can achieve deeper remissions and then stop therapy with favorable outcomes, Burke concludes.