Seems Good, But How Good?

[gemit2000]

Just reading article about this week's Phase II findings of CAPTIVATE trial at ASCO (Venetoclax/Ibrutinib frontline)

onclive.com/conference-cove...

Can anyone interepret results? Are they o.k., good, great, fabulous, incredible, or simply phenomenal? Hard to judge without a basis of comparison to other trial results or without a basis of knowledge since I lack 100% understanding of 100% of the result terms used, i.e., ORR, CR, CRi, PR, nPR, MRD- (unless nPR stands for national public radio; then I understand 16.67% of result terms). But without a Science to English translation it's all just a blur of percentages and acronyms to me - though it does seem to have a good news vibe.

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Excellent, likely replace FCR in a few years... my guess.. or something similar, maybe with Gazyva (obinutuzumab) added.. and cycled, for 6 cycles

The MRDs at 77% is very high...

It was a Phase 2 study, so we will see how this combination does in a large Phase 3 study...

~chris

[gemit2000 in reply to Cllcanada]

Thank you, but "excellent" wasn't really one of your choices.

OK, so let's say fabulous. But you did actually give me an excellent answer - exactly the info I wanted - that the results are so promising it could possibly replace chemo in a few years. Would love to see more and more of these excellent results with more and more combinations as the months and years roll by. Exciting times.

Maybe the best word to use would be 'impressive' which is also a good word for the advances these incredible scientists are making! Thanks Chris.

[Mystic75]

Hi there - funny, I was just reading this myself! I believe the iwCLL Guidelines provides a description but here you go:

ORR - objective response rate or overall response rate (have seen both described)

CR - complete response or complete remission

CRi - complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery

PR - partial response

nPR - nodular partial remission

MRD - minimal residue disease

[gemit2000 in reply to Mystic75]

Thanks, although what the words stand for is for me not the real issue; it's more what they stand for conceptually. I believe I do know that 100% MRD negativity means pretty much CLL free - at least using the most sophisticated measuring devices of the day. And if I remember correctly complete remission means incomplete remission (or as the saying goes: if the mission is complete remission "C(omplete)R(emission) is remiss).

But the nuances between the rest of those terms escape me while which percentages can be labeled as 'eh' or excellent, 'feh' or fabulous, & 'meh' or amazing doesn't escape me as much as have never been in my possession, cognitively, in the first place.

But Chris gave me what I wanted to know, that It was great, awesome, excellent, terrific, fabulous & basically pretty damn good and could move the CLL Tx needle.

[BeckyLUSA]

As for me, one who is taking it, I think it is awesome! But only time will tell how long we stay in remission or if it becomes a cure!

BeckyL USA

[gemit2000]

True. Would be best of all worlds if it was a cure for a large %, but I think we'd all take the vast majority reaching MRD negativity & allowing us to then come off it for long periods of time with the ability to restart a similar regimen if patients relapsed. The result that isn't as ideal would be if the vast majority had to stay on this incredibly expensive drug combo indefinitely which results in the dual concerns that at some point the treatment might lose its efficacy and/or create a major insurance/financial issue.

Do you know what arm you are in? And does the Tx people started out with change in this trial - like perhaps at at the current stage when Phase II data is in & some groups are shown to be getting demonstrably better results than others?

Continued good luck and good health to you.