ASH 2023: Does Reducing My Ibrutinib Dose Impact My CLL Outcome?

If you have ever experienced a negative side effect while taking the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica), your CLL specialist may have recommended decreasing the dose of the medicine. A question many CLL patients in this situation want to know is: Does reducing the dose of my BTK inhibitor impact its effectiveness in limiting the progression of my CLL? It might seem that less medication would lead to less control over the disease. However, CLL specialist Dr. Kerry Rogers from Ohio State University has conducted research that proves otherwise. Watch HealthTree’s interview with Dr. Rogers from the recent 2023 ASH conference below, or read the summary to learn more. 

About Dr. Rogers’ Research

Ibrutinib is a BTK inhibitor, a type of medication used in the treatment of CLL. Dr. Rogers’ research focused on patients who needed to reduce their dose of ibrutinib. The main concern was whether a lower dose would affect the medication’s effectiveness.

The study reviewed patients’ electronic health records to help track when patients started new treatments. Unfortunately, they could not pinpoint the exact time when CLL progressed, so the research used the time from starting ibrutinib to the start of the following treatment as a marker for CLL progression. 

In the study, patients who had their ibrutinib dose reduced did not experience a shorter time to the next treatment. This means that the period from starting ibrutinib to needing another treatment did not decrease due to the dose reduction.

Why is this Important for CLL Patients?

If you are a CLL patient taking ibrutinib and are struggling with side effects from the medication, these findings can help assure you that a dose reduction of the medication will not likely impact the effectiveness of your treatment.

Talk with your doctor about any medication concerns you have. Doing so will help you find the best treatment path for your situation.

In conclusion, Dr. Rogers' research offers valuable insights for CLL patients taking ibrutinib. It provides reassurance that reducing the dose under medical guidance is unlikely to affect the treatment's effectiveness, allowing patients and healthcare providers the ability to tailor treatment plans more confidently to individual needs and circumstances. 

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