Novel Agents in the Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an indolent B-cell leukemia, and the most common leukemia in the Western world. While CLL is currently a rare leukemia type in Korea, the prevalence of CLL is expected to rise in the future. The clinical course is extremely heterogeneous and can range from asymptomatic to rapidly progressive disease. Chemoimmunotherapy (rituximab + fludarabine + cyclophosphamide) has become the standard front-line therapy in young fit patients with normal renal function. Despite the development of more intensive new treatments, these new therapies are not suitable for all patients with CLL. Novel targeted therapies, such as small molecules that disrupt the B-cell receptor pathway or new monoclonal antibodies, have emerged as promising therapeutic options. Prospective clinical trials exploring the efficacy and toxicity profiles of new agents, alone or in combination with other treatments, will reveal whether these novel agents could replace the current standard regimens.