Info needed

[dandelup]

I know when you have fcr your immune system is destroyed and infections are a great concern, but if you don’t have fcr and go onto the ibrutinib trials is your immune system affected in same way and if so is it affected for all the time your taking the tablets?

[AussieNeil Partner Founder Admin]

Hi Dandelup,

All CLL treatments have the side effect of suppressing immunity - both because they work against all B-lymphocytes (CLL cells and healthy B-lymphocytes) and because they can all cause neutropenia. FCR and BR have more of a reputation than the non-chemo treatments however.

Neil

[Jm954 Administrator]

There is accumulating evidence that Ibrutinib has a significant immunomodulatory effect via T lymphs. Ibrutinib appears to increase diversification of the T cell compartment in CLL patients, which contributes to cellular immune reconstitution and reduced infections after approx one year of treatment.