Dr. Choi on the Long-Term Efficacy of Frontline Ibrutinib in CLL

Michael Choi, MD, hematologist/medical oncologist, associate professor of medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego Health, discusses the long-term efficacy of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) given as a frontline treatment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

BTK inhibitors have an established role in the treatment of patients with CLL, Choi explains. Long-term follow-up data from the phase 3 RESONATE-2 trial (NCT01722487) demonstrated that at up to 7 years of follow-up, single-agent ibrutinib conferred sustained progression-free survival and overall survival benefit compared with chlorambucil in patients aged 65 years or older with previously untreated CLL. These data are reassuring for patients and their families because they suggest that most patients with CLL who are started on ibrutinib will derive durable remissions, Choi says.

Moreover, responses with ibrutinib were observed irrespective of high-risk genomic features, such as 11q deletions, TP53 mutations, and unmutated IGHV status.

Regarding safety, the rates of atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, and bleeding events remained low with ibrutinib. However, it is important to be vigilant of toxicities so they can be mitigated early in patients receiving ibrutinib, Choi concludes.