That's wonderful news that your numbers are looking great — a year of hard work paying off! Your hematologist's suggestion sounds like it aligns with a recently FDA-approved treatment approach. The Calquence + Venetoclax combination was approved as a fixed-duration therapy, meaning it's taken for a set period (around 14 Show Full Answer
That's wonderful news that your numbers are looking great — a year of hard work paying off! Your hematologist's suggestion sounds like it aligns with a recently FDA-approved treatment approach. The Calquence + Venetoclax combination was approved as a fixed-duration therapy, meaning it's taken for a set period (around 14 cycles, just over a year) rather than indefinitely — with the goal of eventually stopping both medications.
Here's what clinical trial data showed about this combination:
- Reduced the risk of cancer progression or death by 35% compared to standard chemotherapy
- Patients were more likely to be alive without disease progression at a 3.5-year follow-up
- Only 6% of deaths were reported in the oral combination group vs. 14% in the chemo group It's worth knowing about potential side effects when adding Venetoclax. Common ones include:
- Low white blood cell count (neutropenia)
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Muscle and bone pain
- Increased infection risk
One serious side effect to be aware of is tumor lysis syndrome — where cancer cells break down rapidly, potentially affecting the kidneys. Because of this, your doctor may want to monitor you closely when starting Venetoclax or increasing the dose.
A MyLeukemiaTeam member may have shared experiences with this regimen in the community discussions — it's worth browsing those conversations for personal insights alongside your doctor's guidance.
July 21
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