Dr. Kambhampati on Challenges in CLL

Suman Kambhampati, MD, co-director of the Blood Cancer Center at Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute, HCA Midwest Health, discusses the patient populations that remain an unmet need in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Despite therapeutic advances, there are several unmet needs that remain in the field, explains Kambhampati—specifically, patients with a high comorbidity index according to the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. However, ongoing trials are investigating newer therapeutic strategies for these patients.

A second unmet need is resistance to novel drugs, says Kambhampati. In the case of acquired resistance, physicians have yet to define what the best next therapy is. The third unmet need has to do with the pharmacoeconomics of these drugs. These novels agents are costly and, especially in the case of continuous therapy, contribute to financial toxicity. All of these aspects of care need to be further defined and discussed, he concludes.