Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Clinical Trials 2023

What Are Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Clinical Trials?

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a type of chronic leukemia that occurs in the bone marrow and gradually spreads into the blood. CLL may slowly affect leukocytes, platelets, and erythrocytes. Many patients with CLL don’t show any symptoms for a few years, making diagnosis difficult.

However, the symptoms of CLL manifest once the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, including the spleen, liver, and lymph nodes. CLL affects people of all ages but predominantly occurs during or after middle age. Doctors are not sure what causes chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but they are certain that it’s due to DNA mutations in blood-producing cells.

More chronic lymphocytic leukemia clinical trials are needed to understand the exact mechanisms that trigger the condition.

Why Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia clinical trials are being carried out to help doctors develop novel treatment methods, diagnostic tools, and prevention strategies. Some of the biggest breakthroughs in CLL treatments include tyrosine kinase inhibitors and B cell lymphoma two inhibitors.

Further research into these treatments may help improve the quality of life for patients. It is worth noting that patients cannot catch CLL from anyone else or pass it on. However, specific genes can increase one’s risk of developing CLL.

What Are The Types of Treatments Available For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

Doctors will use the information found through diagnostic tests to determine the stage of the patient’s chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The treatment for CLL depends on various factors, such as the stage of cancer, the symptoms, overall health, and preferences. In some cases, the patient may not require immediate treatment.

The most popular treatment options include chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells. This is followed by targeted drug therapy to focus on various abnormalities within cancer cells. Doctors may also prescribe immunotherapy to strengthen the immune system to fight cancer.

Radiotherapy may be used to kill cancer cells by targeting them with high-energy waves. The last resort is a bone marrow transplant to kill the stem cells in the bone marrow. Not all patients are eligible for bone marrow transplants. Most treatments cannot completely cure CLL but slow its progression and may lead to periods with no symptoms.

Further treatment may be required if the symptoms return.

What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

2021 - Using Acalabrutinib in testing CLL - This clinical trial looks at the safety and efficacy of acalabrutinib for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The trial’s long-term data showed favorable results with acalabrutinib with no severe safety concerns.

2023 - The CLL12 Trial: This clinical trial administered ibrutinib to patients with early-stage asymptomatic chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to see if it helped their survival rate. Patients were administered ibrutinib at 42 mg daily over several months. It was found that Ibrutinib confirmed efficacy in CLL patients.