Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience

Introduction. The annual incidence rate of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in Europe is 1­4 per 100 000 population. The disease is more common in older patients. For many years treatment of CLL included single­agent chlorambucil or cyclophosphamide, later ­ a combination of vincristine, cyclophos...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vyhovska O., Vyhovska Ya., Shalay O., Lukavetskyy L., Voytsitskyy V., Shevchenko L., Barilka V., Maslyak Z.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Publishing House "Kyrylytsya" 2017-03-01
Series:Львівський клінічний вісник
Subjects:
Online Access:http://lkv.biz/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-in-elderly-patients-own-experience/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850274866746359808
author Vyhovska O.
Vyhovska Ya.
Shalay O.
Lukavetskyy L.
Voytsitskyy V.
Shevchenko L.
Barilka V.
Maslyak Z.
author_facet Vyhovska O.
Vyhovska Ya.
Shalay O.
Lukavetskyy L.
Voytsitskyy V.
Shevchenko L.
Barilka V.
Maslyak Z.
author_sort Vyhovska O.
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. The annual incidence rate of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in Europe is 1­4 per 100 000 population. The disease is more common in older patients. For many years treatment of CLL included single­agent chlorambucil or cyclophosphamide, later ­ a combination of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone (COP) alone or with addition of doxorubicin (CHOP) was used. In recent years, the arsenal of antileukemic agents has expanded significantly (fludarabine, cladribine, bendamustine, rituximab and others), a combination of these me­ dications provides a high percentage of complete remissions, but because of its immunosuppressive effect, this treatment cannot be used in all patients. In particular, in patients with comorbidities and older patients. Therefore a considerable attention has been recently paid to the management of the older patients with CLL. The purpose of the study was to analyze the timeliness of CLL diagnosis and management of elderly patients according to data of the Consultative Polyclinics of SI “Institute of Blood Pathology and Transfusion Medicine NAMS of Ukraine”. Results and discussion. 114 CLL patients aged from 61 to 86 were recruited in the study. More than 1/3 of patients were diagnosed with CLL in the late stages of the disease course (III­IV Rai stage), which emphasizes the insufficient wariness for hematological disorders among family doctors and other medical specialists. Results of 2­20 years long observation show that the majority of the patients whose diagnosis was made on early stage (0­I Rai stage) are well and do not require treatment. Indications for initiation of treatment in elderly patients are the same as in younger ones. Short cycles of treatment with chlorambucil in patients aged 66­82 years result in partial remission with good patient condition and satisfactory quality of life with chlorambucil maintenance therapy dura­ tion from 24 to 132 months (at the time this publication was prepared). More aggressive therapy (bendamustine + rituximab and fludarabine + cyclophosphamide) in patients aged 66­79 years is more efficient in terms of obtaining complete remission, but is more toxic and can be used in elderly patients who underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment with preserved renal function and absence of comorbidities. Conclusions. Chlorambucil alone or combined with prednisone should be considered for the first­line therapy of CLL in elderly patients. More aggressive therapies (FC, BR regimens) should be applied at disease progression as treatment of the second line.
format Article
id doaj-art-cb43e2b6dfc64c5a8293ff767f615cdd
institution OA Journals
issn 2306-4269
2520-2898
language English
publishDate 2017-03-01
publisher Publishing House "Kyrylytsya"
record_format Article
series Львівський клінічний вісник
spelling doaj-art-cb43e2b6dfc64c5a8293ff767f615cdd2025-08-20T01:51:01ZengPublishing House "Kyrylytsya"Львівський клінічний вісник2306-42692520-28982017-03-01117263110.25040/lkv2017.01.026Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own ExperienceVyhovska O.0Vyhovska Ya. 1Shalay O. 2Lukavetskyy L. 3Voytsitskyy V. 4Shevchenko L.5Barilka V. 6Maslyak Z. 7State Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivState Institution “Institute of Blood and Transfusion Medicine of NAMS of Ukraine”, LvivIntroduction. The annual incidence rate of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in Europe is 1­4 per 100 000 population. The disease is more common in older patients. For many years treatment of CLL included single­agent chlorambucil or cyclophosphamide, later ­ a combination of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone (COP) alone or with addition of doxorubicin (CHOP) was used. In recent years, the arsenal of antileukemic agents has expanded significantly (fludarabine, cladribine, bendamustine, rituximab and others), a combination of these me­ dications provides a high percentage of complete remissions, but because of its immunosuppressive effect, this treatment cannot be used in all patients. In particular, in patients with comorbidities and older patients. Therefore a considerable attention has been recently paid to the management of the older patients with CLL. The purpose of the study was to analyze the timeliness of CLL diagnosis and management of elderly patients according to data of the Consultative Polyclinics of SI “Institute of Blood Pathology and Transfusion Medicine NAMS of Ukraine”. Results and discussion. 114 CLL patients aged from 61 to 86 were recruited in the study. More than 1/3 of patients were diagnosed with CLL in the late stages of the disease course (III­IV Rai stage), which emphasizes the insufficient wariness for hematological disorders among family doctors and other medical specialists. Results of 2­20 years long observation show that the majority of the patients whose diagnosis was made on early stage (0­I Rai stage) are well and do not require treatment. Indications for initiation of treatment in elderly patients are the same as in younger ones. Short cycles of treatment with chlorambucil in patients aged 66­82 years result in partial remission with good patient condition and satisfactory quality of life with chlorambucil maintenance therapy dura­ tion from 24 to 132 months (at the time this publication was prepared). More aggressive therapy (bendamustine + rituximab and fludarabine + cyclophosphamide) in patients aged 66­79 years is more efficient in terms of obtaining complete remission, but is more toxic and can be used in elderly patients who underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment with preserved renal function and absence of comorbidities. Conclusions. Chlorambucil alone or combined with prednisone should be considered for the first­line therapy of CLL in elderly patients. More aggressive therapies (FC, BR regimens) should be applied at disease progression as treatment of the second line.http://lkv.biz/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-in-elderly-patients-own-experience/chemoimmunotherapychlorambucilchronic lymphocytic leukemiaelderly patients
spellingShingle Vyhovska O.
Vyhovska Ya.
Shalay O.
Lukavetskyy L.
Voytsitskyy V.
Shevchenko L.
Barilka V.
Maslyak Z.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience
Львівський клінічний вісник
chemoimmunotherapy
chlorambucil
chronic lymphocytic leukemia
elderly patients
title Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience
title_full Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience
title_fullStr Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience
title_full_unstemmed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience
title_short Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Elderly Patients: Own Experience
title_sort chronic lymphocytic leukemia in elderly patients own experience
topic chemoimmunotherapy
chlorambucil
chronic lymphocytic leukemia
elderly patients
url http://lkv.biz/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-in-elderly-patients-own-experience/
work_keys_str_mv AT vyhovskao chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT vyhovskaya chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT shalayo chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT lukavetskyyl chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT voytsitskyyv chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT shevchenkol chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT barilkav chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience
AT maslyakz chroniclymphocyticleukemiainelderlypatientsownexperience