Onkológia 6/2014

New Therapeutic Opportunities in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an example of lymphoproliferative disease, which received little attention for decades. This means the interest in research of new innovative molecules in its treatment. Largely because it has a prolonged course, many persons afflicted by CLL live a relatively normal life and eventually die of causes unrelated to CLL. Despite this seemingly unexciting background, the task of understanding pathogenesis and designing new therapies in CLL has become a challenge. In recent years, several new drugs have been approved for CLL treatment (fludarabine, bendamustine, and the monoclonal antibodies as alemtuzumab, rituximab and ofatumumab) and many more drugs are in advanced stages of clinical research. This article summarizes the currently available old and new therapeutic tools and gives an integrated recommendation of how to manage CLL in 2014.

Keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, monoclonal antibodies, strategy of treatment of CLL