Clinical and Economic Burden of First-Line Chemoimmunotherapy for CLL/SLL
Between high-risk and nonhigh-risk patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) initiating first-line chemoimmunotherapy, high-risk patients experience greater risk of next treatment or death, treatment failure, and higher costs, according to a real-world study presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting. The economic burden for patients with CLL or SLL who have high-risk genetic abnormalities, often leading to inferior responses to chemoimmunotherapy, is uncertain. “This study aimed to compare real world clinical and economic outcomes in high-risk and perceived nonhigh-risk patients initiating [first-line] chemoimmunotherapy” wrote Lori Leslie, MD, John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensack, NJ, and colleagues.