Non chemo therapies for untreated CLL begin to gain approval.
For those of us on Watch and Wait, the future is looking bright recent trials in the UK Clarity and Flair with Ventalax in combination with other targeted therapies have shown very promising results. Only time will tell as CLL progresses so slowly but I hope and pray this turns towards a cure in the next 5 years
In the UK the next hurdle will be getting this past NICE, and the NHS to agree to pay for these treatments..
Ibrutinib was held up for a while due to costs, do we yet know costs for Venetoclax.?
Dick
These treatments are showing deep long term remission. The cost of chemo v’s targeted will be a big factor in the cost justification. Also Chemo brings untold risks of other health issues and long term costs. I don’t think NICE will ignore them. In fact NICE has already been asked to produce a study on combination therapies as soon as the manufacturers request a European license. Now the FDA has approved I can’t see this taking much longer. If you can afford it, you could get these treatments privately.
I would agree.. If FCR produces other unpleasant side effects such as the often untreatable peripheral neuropathy, then these new drugs have to be cost effective versus repeated hospital visits.
The future is most certainly dramatically brighter than when I was first diagnosed.
I just hope that the bureaucrats do not slow down the rapid approvals.
Dick
I ECHO YOUR LAST SENTENCE!👍👍
In Serbia have not soon...
Median PFS for FCR treated CLL patients with IGHV-M was 14.6 years vs 4.2 years for patients with IGHV-UM. V+O and I+R look to be superiorCombination therapy for our CLL
Late breaking CLL abstract at ASH 2018 (FCR vs IR for untreated younger patients)CLL Society interview - Dr. Shahzad Mustafa on What it Means to be Immunocompromised for Patients with CLL/SLL January 13, 2023 COVID -19 Vaccinations for CLL patients ? 
