There are many "medications" which control CLL. I avoided those chemo treatments and as for a medication. I was given Brukinsa which is good for 10 to 20 years or until the cells mutate and can not be affected by the medication. Then it is time for a different drug. I know my medication is a BTK inhibitor. I know the BTK inhibitor attaches to the bad cell and this causes the bad cells to die. I hope you can learn about the BTK inhibitors so that you can make a healthy choice.
May 9
There have been some exciting advances in CLL treatment over the past decade! The biggest shift has been toward targeted therapies — drugs that zero in on specific proteins on cancer cells rather than attacking all rapidly dividing cells like traditional chemotherapy does. This means fewer side effects and, in many cases Show Full Answer
There have been some exciting advances in CLL treatment over the past decade! The biggest shift has been toward targeted therapies — drugs that zero in on specific proteins on cancer cells rather than attacking all rapidly dividing cells like traditional chemotherapy does. This means fewer side effects and, in many cases, better results.
Here are the main categories of newer treatments:
BTK Inhibitors
- Imbruvica (ibrutinib)
- Calquence (acalabrutinib)
- Brukinsa (zanubrutinib)
BCL-2 Inhibitor
- Venclexta (venetoclax)
PI3K Inhibitors
- Zydelig (idelalisib)
- Copiktra (duvelisib)
Monoclonal Antibodies
- Gazyva (obinutuzumab)
- Rituxan (rituximab)
- Arzerra (ofatumumab) One of the biggest perks of many of these newer treatments is that they come in pill form, meaning they can be taken at home rather than requiring clinic visits for IV infusions. Pretty convenient!
There are also newer approaches like CAR-T cell therapy, where your own immune cells are modified to better target leukemia cells, and clinical trials that may offer access to cutting-edge treatments not yet widely available.
It's always worth having a conversation with your doctor about which of these options might be the best fit for your specific situation, as factors like your CLL subtype and overall health play a big role in treatment decisions.
May 8
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