title: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia therapy: beyond chemoimmunotherapy.
abstract: Chemoimmunotherapy is the new gold standard of therapy for patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, in spite of the high complete response rate achieved with chemoimmunotherapy, all patients eventually relapse and CLL is still incurable. Newer and more rationally developed compounds are clearly needed for these patients, in particular those with refractory disease. Among these agents, novel monoclonal antibodies, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, chromokine receptor antagonists, lenalidomide, signal transduction inhibitors and pro-apoptotic molecules have recently shown some efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Hopefully, the combined use of these agents in risk-adapted treatment strategies will improve the outcome of patients with CLL and set the stage for their cure.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Hematology, Hospital Clinic, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi iSunyer, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Tycho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghita
authors.forename: Emili
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montserrat
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents