Current Treatment Options in Relapsed and Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: a Review. (PubMed, Curr Treat Options Oncol)
Treatment of relapsed and refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) has changed dramatically over the past decade due to the development of oral targeted agents in several therapeutic classes, including BTK inhibitors (such as ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib, and the non-covalent BTK inhibitor pirtobrutinib), the first in class BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax, PI3K inhibitors (idelalisib and duvelisib), and monoclonal antibodies in monotherapy and in combination. In absence of a clinical trial, these patients can be challenged with PI3K inhibitors, though responses are usually not durable, and toxicity is high. Combination cytotoxic chemotherapy with novel agents, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and cellular therapy may be considered for very high-risk populations, such as patients with Richter's transformation, though novel approaches are urgently needed and clinical trial enrollment is highly encouraged.