Study findings suggest the most common reason for novel oral drug discontinuation among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the real-world setting is due to adverse events (Leuk Lymphoma. 2021 Feb 11;1-14. doi:10.1080/10428194.2021.1876863).
This study used data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to examine the most common reasons for novel oral agent treatment discontinuation among patients with CLL.
The retrospective chart review study included 1205 patients with CLL who initiated treatment with ibrutinib, venetoclax, and idelalisib.
Among those who received first-line ibrutinib, 33% (n = 107) discontinued therapy during the study, 64% of whom discontinued due to adverse events (AEs). Among those who received ibrutinib in the relapsed/refractory setting, 35%, (n = 262) discontinued therapy, 63% of whom discontinues due to AEs.
Among those who received venetoclax in the relapsed/refractory setting, 31% (n = 27) discontinued therapy, of whom 41% discontinued due to AEs. For idelalisib, 84% (n = 41) discontinued therapy, of whom 54% discontinued due to AEs.
“This real-world study suggests that AEs play an important role in dose reductions and discontinuations; however, physician inexperience in using these drugs when they were first introduced could be part of what is leading to these negative outcomes,” concluded Christopher R. Frei, PharmD, MSc, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, and colleagues.—Janelle Bradley
