The introduction of targeted agents revolutionized the care for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). While these agents first proved their clinical benefit in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease and in CLL patients with dismal prognostic features (e.g. del(17p), TP53 mutations) they were subsequently also tested in the first-line setting and in patients without high-risk cytogenetic characteristics. During the 2018 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), results were presented of several pivotal trials that will likely change the frontline treatment paradigm for CLL patients. A second hot topic in CLL that received lots of attention at ASH 2018 consists of minimal residual disease (MRD). Several studies were presented looking into the feasibility of obtaining a MRD negative status with (combinations of) novel targeted agents in CLL and look into the prognostic significance of obtaining MRD negativity. Finally, R/R disease continues to be the setting in which novel therapeutic options are being tested. During ASH 2018 results of several clinical trials evaluating combinations of existing targeted agents were presented in addition to data on completely new therapeutics (e.g. chimeric antigen receptor [CAR] T cell therapy) that try to make their mark in CLL. This article will summarize some of the key highlights in CLL presented at ASH 2018.
(BELG J HEMATOL 2019;10(1):11–7)
