Targeted Therapy for CLL: A New Generation of Cancer Treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, A Beginner’s Guide to CLL Targeted Therapy and Its Benefits in Modern Oncology
CLL Treatment Has Changed in the Last Decade!
A decade ago, the majority of CLL patients were treated with conventional chemotherapy. Many patients were treated with more than one different chemotherapy and unfortunately often with less-than-optimal results. In recent years targeted therapy for CLL has emerged as a major and being studied and used treatment option for patients with this disease. Today many patients can be treated with targeted therapy for an extended period of time and may support disease management and quality of life in some patients, depending on individual response a managable quality of life.
Many patients feel confused about the treatment options available to them after being diagnosed with CLL. For the newly diagnosed patient it is very important to get the best information possible to make the correct decisions. The information contained within this guide will inform you of the CLL targeted therapy available and how this has become a main-stream treatment for the CLL patient.
Understanding Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or CLL is a type of cancer affecting the blood. The disease can develop at any age; however most cases are diagnosed in people over Fifty years old. In people with this type of cancer the body produces an excessive number of abnormal lymphocytes which can eventually take over the bone marrow, leading to a decrease in production of healthy blood cells and compromising of the body’s immune system. In many cases of CLL the disease is slow growing but at some stage may require treatment as the disease progresses. Treatment for the disease is available and in recent years there has been significant advances in the management of the disease with the introduction of targeted therapies for the treatment of CLL.
There are instances where CLL may require treatment. The decision as to what treatment is most appropriate for any individual with CLL will depend upon a number of factors including the patient’s age, overall health, genetic features of their leukemia and rate of disease progression.
What Is CLL Targeted Therapy?
Targeted therapy is a novel form of cancer treatment, which aims to identify specific proteins in cancer cells and to interfere with their functions. It targets the malignant cells’ specific characteristics. Unlike conventional chemotherapy, which attacks all fast-dividing cells, targeted therapies selectively target and kill cancer cells while – in most cases – sparing most of the body’s normal cells and reducing side effects. As a result, a large number of new treatment options have been developed for patients with CLL.
CLL is a cancer of the blood and the researchers have found several pathways that the CLL leukemia cells use for their growth and survival. Targeted therapies are designed to interfere with these pathways, leading to the death of the cancer cells while leaving most of the body’s cells untouched by the therapy.
The benefits of cll targeted therapy for CLL patients cannot be stressed enough – Targeted therapies represent a significant development in the treatment landscape for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, expanding the range of treatment approaches available for patients.
How Does Targeted Therapy Work?
Cancer cells use signaling pathways that tell the cell to grow, divide and to survive. The targeted therapy works by inactivating the signal for these processes, or by inactivating proteins that are required for the cell to function. As a result, the cancer cells are not able to grow and/or the cells can be killed. In many instances, cancer cells are also made more susceptible to the body’s own immune system for destruction.
There are specific signals within a cell that inform it to grow and to divide, to form more cells. CLL cells have altered signaling to promote their own growth and survival, allowing them to resist normal destruction by the body’s own immune system. These altered signals can be a target for CLL therapy. By interfering with a specific pathway, CLL cells may stop growing, become susceptible to normal destruction by the immune system or even die. The potential for such specific targeting of cancer cells allows for the most individualized of cancer therapies.
Research continues to be conducted on the molecular characteristics of CLL to identify more targets for therapy and to develop more effective treatments for this disease.
Why Targeted Therapy Has Changed CLL Treatment
Because many individuals diagnosed with CLL are not candidates for aggressive chemotherapy, a variety of targeted therapies have been developed that will provide a means to treat this disease in these patients as well as in others who have undergone therapy but whose disease has come back.
One of the major reasons why Targeted therapies are increasingly used as a treatment approach for CLL so popular is because of the specific nature in which they attack Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Most cancer treatments consist of general cancer drugs that kill all rapidly dividing cells of both cancerous and healthy. Targeted cancer therapies target the very specific processes in the cancer cells, which enable them to grow and to resist being destroyed by the body’s natural defenses. By interfering with these processes the cancer cells are forced to die. The targeted approach of these cancer drugs make them for the most part very specific in their application to cancer and as a result can provide many benefits to those with the disease.
As a result of these advances to CLL treatment many patients with this condition may help manage disease progression in some patients.
Key Benefits of CLL Targeted Therapy
More Precise Treatment Approach
The main advantage of targeted cancer therapy is that it is more precise than others used to treat cancer. Instead of killing all fast-dividing cells for example, cancer cells, targeted cancer therapies attack specific pathways that are critical for the growth and survival of cancer cells. This is often described as more specific than a broad approach to killing cancer.
Targeted cancer treatments are the latest step in the evolution of more precise cancer treatments and offer the most individualized form of cancer therapy to date.
Improved Treatment Options for Many Patients
Targeted therapies have given many patients with CLL new treatment options and given them a chance at long-term disease control while maintaining good quality of life while on treatment. In particular, the new generation of targeted therapies have given treatment options to a wide array of patients with CLL, including the growing numbers of older adults with CLL as well as patients of all ages with certain genetic features of their CLL.
Many patients are now offered a choice of targeted therapies to treat their CLL, enabling their doctor to choose the best treatment for their individual circumstances.
Potential for Long-Term Disease Management
There is hope for CLL patients. By recognizing CLL as a chronic condition requiring on-going management, targeted therapies can be used to help extend the length of time that a patient’s disease is under control and may enable patients to maintain daily activities, depending on individual circumstances.
While goals for the treatment of patients with CLL can vary, targeted therapies for this condition can help patients with this chronic disease stay on track and manage their disease over long periods of time to continue to carry out daily activities and enjoy the quality of life depending on response.
Continued Innovation in Oncology
The success of CLL targeted therapy encourages continued research for application of the precision medicine concept in treatment of other cancers. Scientists study new targets for therapy, new combinations of drugs and other strategies to treat cancer in the most effective manner.
Innovations in cll targeted therapy enable continued progress in the field of Oncology, offering hope of effective treatment for patients with various types of cancer, and encouraging scientists to search for new targets for therapy, as well as to combine different treatment strategies with a view to achieving best results.
Who May Be Eligible for Targeted Therapy?
There are a number of important factors that your oncology team will consider in order to determine if you may be a candidate for a targeted therapy for CLL. These include:
- The stage and progression of CLL
- Overall health and medical history
- Previous treatments received
- Genetic and molecular characteristics of the cancer
- Individual treatment goals
Every person’s situation is different and so there is no single formula that can be applied to decide if a person may be a candidate for targeted therapies for CLL. It is always best to speak with a qualified and experienced oncology team to discuss your individual situation in more detail.
What to Expect During Treatment
The experience of targeted therapy can vary depending on the specific treatment prescribed. Healthcare providers monitor patients closely throughout treatment to evaluate effectiveness and manage any potential side effects.
This can be expected during your CLL treatment and monitored by your healthcare provider to check for effectiveness and manage side effects. Regular blood tests and medical visits are key components to optimal CLL treatment. In addition to your usual health practices such as good nutrition, regular exercise, adequate hydration and sleep, patients can play a big role in overall health and wellness while on CLL treatment.
Stay Healthy During Treatment: Patients should continue to eat a healthy, balanced diet; engage in regular physical activity (as able); drink plenty of water; and get plenty of adequate rest to help your body fight against CLL.
The Role of Targeted Therapy in Modern Oncology
Modern oncology is taking a new turn. It is now focusing on so-called precision medicine. This is a term for the new approach to cancer treatment, which is based on a more profound understanding of the biology of cancer and therefore allows for a more individualized treatment of the patients. So-called targeted therapies are a main stay of this approach.
Instead of treating all cancers as if they were the same, by using the molecular and genetic characteristics of a patient’s cancer, clinicians can use information to select a treatment most likely to control the cancer.
For individuals with CLL targeted therapies have given patients with this disease more treatment options and have led to significant advancements in the management of this cancer.
Questions Patients Should Ask Their Healthcare Team
When discussing your treatment options with your oncologist and or hematologist it would be beneficial to ask the following questions:
- Is targeted therapy right for you given the specifics of your CLL?
- What treatment goals should I expect?
- How will my progress be monitored?
- What potential side effects can I expect from the cll targeted therapy that I am being offered?
- How might treatment fit into my daily routine?
- Are there any changes to my normal way of life that can support me during my treatment for CLL?
We, at CureCLI, are proud to educate patients and families going through this challenging time. Our mission is to inform them of the opportunities available today and to ask right questions in order to make best treatment decision.
Conclusion
The development of cll targeted therapy is one of the greatest advances in the treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. By targeting specific aspects of the CLL’s biology that allow it to grow and cause problems, cll targeted therapy can provide a more precise and individualized treatment to patients suffering with the disease.
New therapies are continually being developed. As new research emerges on cll targeted therapy, our cancer blog will update you on the role targeted therapies are playing in modern oncology. For now, cll targeted therapy is an option that needs to be considered for those with a CLL diagnosis and forms part of the increasingly effective range of treatments for this condition.
