Simple Summary – Ibrutinib–Rituximab or Chemoimmunotherapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

ByThe Short Paper

Link to the article: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1817073

There is a standard of care in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a blood cancer common in the older population. The standard of care is the usage of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab; however there is a new treatment that may improve outcomes. This study looks at the usage of ibrutinib-rituximab. Ibrutinib helps arrest cell growth and rituximab helps the body to destroy the cancer itself. The paper is based on a phase 3 trial where patients were either given the standard treatment or given ibrutinib-rituximab. Their primary end point was progression-free survival. They enrolled over 500 patients and found that over a course of approximately 3 years, the patients on ibrutinib-rituximab performed better than patients on standard treatment.

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