Paradigm shifts in the management of poor-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract

With the growing complexity of treatment options for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and variables that influence the underlying biology of this disease, providing allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloSCT) to appropriate candidates poses a challenge for transplant physicians. Novel small molecule inhibitors hold unprecedented promise for poor-risk subgroups, which will likely alter decision-making and referral patterns for transplant. In this review, we analyze what is known and may still remain true about indications for transplant based on outcomes reported in the literature recently and over the last decade.

Keywords::

• Allogeneic
• stem cell transplant
• chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge additional input from Drs. Boris Pasche, Ayman Saad, Antonio di Stasi and Luciano Costa in preparation of this manuscript.

Potential conflict of interest

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.

R.S.D. was supported in part by NIH grants CA161731 and CA175912.