ASH 2023: Do CLL Patients Prefer Fixed-Duration or Continuous-Duration Therapy?

Researchers conducted a study to find out if CLL patients prefer being treated with fixed-duration therapy or continuous-duration therapy. Fixed-duration therapy refers to patients receiving treatment over a set period of time and then stopping. Continuous-duration therapy refers to patients being treated indefinitely until either the patient is no longer able to tolerate side effects or the patient’s CLL cells mutate and become unresponsive to the medicine. 

Studies like this one are important because they show that the CLL patient community has the power to influence decision-making for treatments. The results also tell pharmaceutical companies and doctors what patients prefer, allowing them to better understand patient preferences and tailor treatment plans that are personalized to each patient’s unique needs.

We invite you to read the results of the study and learn more about how participating in simple research surveys, such as this one, can improve CLL patient treatment outcomes. 

Do CLL Patients Prefer Fixed or Continuous-Duration Therapy?  

The researchers found that the majority of the CLL patient community prefers being treated with a fixed-duration therapy rather than a continuous-duration therapy. Current FDA-approved fixed-duration therapies include venetoclax (Venclexta) with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) for the time frame of one year if previously untreated or venetoclax with rituximab (Rituxan) for two years if previously treated. There are additional fixed-duration therapies available to CLL patients in clinical trials. 

Read more about the specific patient reasonings for why they preferred fixed over continuous-duration therapies (treat-to-progression) below: 

The Power of the Patient Perspective 

The findings from this study are important because they gauge what the CLL patient community thinks. Your opinion as a CLL patient influences research and where the future of CLL treatments go. For example, now that pharmaceutical companies know that the majority of CLL patients prefer receiving treatment for a set period of time and then stopping, they may start working on developing more fixed-duration therapies as opposed to continuous-duration therapies. 

At HealthTree, it is our goal to learn more about your thoughts on a variety of topics that influence your CLL journey by collaborating together through research surveys like the one above. HealthTree has created a powerful patient and researcher collaboration portal called HealthTree Cure Hub for this very purpose.

We invite you to join the 12,000-and-counting blood cancer patients who are collaborating with specialists through research surveys and studies in HealthTree Cure Hub. YOU are the key to improving CLL care. We are grateful for your time and support in helping us progress toward a CLL cure. Create your free HealthTree Cure Hub account by visiting the link below! 

CREATE MY HEALTHTREE CURE HUB ACCOUNT