Dr. Ferrajoli on Treatment of Elderly Patients With CLL

Alessandra Ferrajoli, MD, associate professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses treatment options for elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

For elderly patients, as well as those without 17p deletion, a treatment option is the combination of chemoimmunotherapy with either fludarabine/cyclophosphamide/rituximab or bendamustine plus rituxumab. These combinations are most appropriate in patients who are more physically active, Ferrajoli adds. They also demonstrate overall remission rates of approximately 90% in these patients.

For patients with comorbidities, the combination of CD20 monoclonal antibodies with alkylating agents have been established as a beneficial treatment option. The combinations of obinutuzumab plus chlorambucil and ofatumumab plus chlorambucil have demonstrated response rates of 60% to 70%, and can achieve complete remissions. Both combinations are well-tolerated with no known impact on quality of life, Ferrajoli says.