title: Current and investigational therapies for patients with CLL.
abstract: Clinical and laboratory investigations are driving the rapid change in treatments for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Randomized trials have demonstrated superior activity for fludarabine combined with cyclophosphamide versus single-agent fludarabine or chlorambucil as initial treatment. Chemoimmunotherapy holds promise for further improvement and is being tested in randomized trials. New combinations and agents are being identified and tested. Eliminating minimal residual disease is a therapeutic endpoint that may prove to prolong survival and is also under investigation in prospective clinical trials. Work continues toward improving survival and potentially curing patients of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Leukemia, Unit 428, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX 77230, USA. wwierda@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Wierda
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000628:therapy*