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iwCLL 2021 | Impacts of COVID-19 on the treatment of CLL
Brian Koffman, MDCM (retired), MS Ed, CLL Society, Inc., Chula Vista, CA, discusses how COVID-19 has impacted the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Dr Koffman describes how a shift towards telemedicine has allowed patients to avoid potential COVID-19 exposure; however, negative effects include a reduced quality of patient–practitioner interaction, fewer physical examinations, and crucially, fewer cancer screenings and routine health check-ups. Additionally, most CLL treatments were found to be associated with an impaired ability to form COVID-resistant antibodies and an increased susceptibility to COVID-19. This has implications for CLL treatment, where the competing factors of CLL and COVID-19 will have to be balanced. This interview was conducted during the 2021 virtual international workshop on CLL (iwCLL) congress.
