Articles

Rational approach of older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

BJH - volume 12, issue 4, june 2021

F. Massaro MD, C. Vandevoorde , J. Ku MD, D. Papazoglou MD, A. Van Uytvanck MD, N. Meuleman MD, PhD, D. Bron MD, PhD

SUMMARY

The majority of CLL patients are elderly, with a median age of those requiring a first line treatment, close to 76 years old. Nowadays, multiple treatment options are available for this disease, ranging from chemo immunotherapy regimens to biological therapies. The treatment decision in an older CLL patient is a four-step procedure, starting firstly with the assessment of treatment criteria. The second step is to evaluate the life-expectancy of the patient, its autonomy, vulnerabilities and the socio-economic status. The subsequent step is to define treatment options according to prognostic factors. Last, but not least, the patient should be involved in the final decision to know to what extend he is willing to receive a treatment with a potential curative or palliative intent. The assessment of an elderly CLL patient is a complex procedure, not only comprehending the evaluation of biological and hematological parameters but also clinical, social and psychological features, which equally contribute to the selection of the most valuable strategy.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2021;12(4):147-54)

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Long-term treatment-free molecular remission in a FIP1L1-PDGFRA positive myeloid/lymphoid neoplasm with eosinophilia after Imatinib discontinuation

BJH - volume 11, issue 7, november 2020

D. Papazoglou MD, A. Salaroli MD, P. Heimann MD, PhD, P. Lewalle MD, PhD, D. Bron MD, PhD

SUMMARY

A 47-year-old patient was diagnosed with FIP1L1-PDGFRA-positive myeloid/lymphoid neoplasm with eosinophilia (F/P+ MLN-eo) and was successfully treated with Imatinib, achieving a sustained molecular treatment free remission (TFR) persisting three years after discontinuation.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2020;11(7):320-4)

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