SOHO 2021 | Future advancements in the treatment of CLL
Silvia Deaglio, MD, PhD, of the University of Turin, Turin, Italy, provides an overview of current treatment methods and future developments in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Whilst chemotherapy-free therapies are currently available, achieving permanent disease-free status is the ultimate goal within the field. Developing additional treatments targeting the tumor microenvironment can prevent disease progression and ultimately achieve long-term remission. This interview took place during the ninth annual meeting of the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO 2021) congress.
Transcript (edited for clarity)
I think CLL had incredible steps forward in the past 10 years … there was a time when there was a lot of basic science and a little clinical application of all that basic science. And then just more molecular inhibitors came by and that was a revolution in terms of therapy. And we have gone from mainly a chemotherapy-based option for patients needing therapy to a chemo-free scenario, which is right now...
I think CLL had incredible steps forward in the past 10 years … there was a time when there was a lot of basic science and a little clinical application of all that basic science. And then just more molecular inhibitors came by and that was a revolution in terms of therapy. And we have gone from mainly a chemotherapy-based option for patients needing therapy to a chemo-free scenario, which is right now.
The next phase will be to cure the disease. So to have therapies that last for a certain time, and then you have a patient that’s cured and that will be disease-free and therapy-free for the rest of his or her life. We’re not there yet but I think that before getting there we need a next phase of basic studies.
A next phase where people look into the molecular access and pathways of the micro environments and define the optimum combination that’s targeting clearly the BCI because that’s working. And we know that’s effective in real life in patients, but they probably will offer some kind of accompanying therapies, microenvironmental-based therapies that will prevent progression. And that will eventually lead to eradication of the immunosuppressal clone. That I hope will be the next phase.
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Disclosures
Silvia Deaglio, MD, PhD, has sponsored research agreements with Heidelberg Pharma and AstraZeneca.
