title: New treatment options for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chemoimmunotherapy is the gold standard of therapy for patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), resulting in high and durable complete response rates. However, all patients eventually relapse and CLL remains incurable. Newer and more rationally developed compounds are needed to improve CLL therapy, particularly in cases of refractory disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following a literature search on PubMed using 'chronic', 'lymphocytic', 'treatment' and 'therapy' as keywords, results obtained with novel agents were critically analyzed. Abstracts presented during 2013 at ASH, EHA, ICML, IWCLL and ASCO meetings were also included in the search.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New monoclonal antibodies, lenalidomide, B-cell receptor-signal transduction inhibitors and pro-apoptotic molecules have shown efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Hopefully, the combined use of these molecules in risk-adapted treatment strategies will improve the outcome of patients with CLL and pave the way for their long-term control.
authors.affiliation: University of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Institute of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Clínic, Department of Hematology , Villaroel 170, 08036 Barcelona , Spain +34 93 227 54 75 ; +34 93 227 98 11 ; emontse@clinic.ub.es.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Tycho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santacruz
authors.forename: Emili
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montserrat
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D013792:Thalidomide; D000077269:Lenalidomide