Author:
Rai Kanti R.,Barrientos Jacqueline C.
Abstract
OverviewChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an indolent B‐cell neoplasia characterized by a progressive accumulation of small functionally incompetent lymphocytes in the blood, marrow, and lymphoid tissues. Given its indolent presentation, initiation of therapy is deferred until patients become symptomatic. CLL primarily affects the elderly population who generally has clinically significant coexisting conditions. The use of traditional chemoimmunotherapy regimens has been historically limited to fit patients able to tolerate the known toxicities from such regimens. A major shift in the management of CLL is currently taking place with the approval of several new targeted agents with unprecedented clinical activity in patients with poor prognostic markers and high‐risk disease. New drug combinations are being evaluated with the goal to optimize treatment approaches based on the clinical and biological profile of the CLL patient.