Fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) is the gold treatment for fit and young (age ≤65 years) patients with CLL. However, IGVH unmutated patients and patients with disrupted TP53 show an inferior outcome after FCR in terms of PFS and OS. Venetoclax as a single agent or combined with rituximab is an effective treatment for relapsed/refractory patients with IGVH unmutated CLL and/or del(17p) and is associated with a high rate of clinical responses and MRD-negative responses. The achievement of a MRD negative response in CLL is the best treatment endpoint since it is associated with an improved PFS.~In treatment-naive patients with unmutated IGVH and/or disrupted TP53 the venetoclax and rituximab combination could be a more effective regimen than FCR with a 15% increase in the CR rate.
Fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) is the gold treatment for fit and young patients with Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia (CLL). However, patients with a mutation known as IGVH unmutated and patients with a particular characteristic known as 'disrupted TP53' show an inferior outcome after FCR in terms of survival. Venetoclax as a single agent or combined with rituximab is an effective treatment for relapsed/refractory patients with IGVH unmutated CLL and/or del(17p) and is associated with a high rate of clinical responses.