CLL: An Update on Biology and Treatment.

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BlankChronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: An Update on Biology and Treatment.

JC Riches, AG Ramsay, and JG Gribben

Curr Oncol Rep, July 20, 2011; .

Barts Cancer Institute-A CR-UK Centre of Excellence, Queen University of

London, 3rd Floor Vane Science Centre Charterhouse Square, London, UK, EC1M

6BQ, johnriches@....

Combination chemoimmunotherapy with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab

(FCR) has emerged as the current standard of care in the treatment of chronic

lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Despite very high response rates, this treatment is

too toxic for many patients, and it remains unclear as how to manage patients

who do not respond to these agents or who relapse early after treatment. An

increase in our understanding of the biology of CLL has led to the development

of a wide range of therapies aimed at specific defects in this disease. B-cell

receptor signaling is aberrantly increased in CLL, and so many of these drugs

target key steps in these pathways. Antitumor immunity is also impaired, and a

number of strategies are being developed to repair this acquired immune

dysfunction. This review highlights some of the emerging agents and describes

the biological rationale for their use in CLL.

PMID: 21773694