Consolidation with alemtuzumab improves progression-free survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in first remission: long-term follow-up of a randomized phase III trial of the German CLL Study Group (GCLLSG)
Carmen D Schweighofer, Matthias Ritgen, Barbara F Eichhorst, Raymonde Busch, Wolfgang Abenhardt, Michael Kneba, Michael Hallek, Clemens-Martin Wendtner, Carmen D Schweighofer, Matthias Ritgen, Barbara F Eichhorst, Raymonde Busch, Wolfgang Abenhardt, Michael Kneba, Michael Hallek, Clemens-Martin Wendtner
Abstract
Alemtuzumab has shown considerable activity in untreated and relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. We report our long-term experience in 21 patients within a randomized phase III trial investigating the role of alemtuzumab for consolidation therapy after first-line fludarabine +/- cyclophosphamide, which was stopped prematurely due to severe infections. However, after a median follow-up of 48 months, progression-free survival was significantly prolonged for patients receiving alemtuzumab consolidation compared to those with no further treatment (P = 0.004). Minimal residual disease (MRD) levels were persistently reduced after consolidation. Therefore, despite toxicity, MRD reduction by alemtuzumab consolidation translates into a significantly improved long-term clinical outcome.
Source: PubMed