A phase 3 Murano clinical trial has shown that combining the drugs Venclexta (venetoclax) and Rituxan (rituximab) could be an effective treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, reports Cancer Updates, Research, and Education.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a form of cancer that affects white blood cells. It develops when the bone marrow produces lots of white blood cells, known as lymphocytes, that do not function properly. As a result, patients may experience symptoms such as frequent infection, tiredness, swollen glands, and bleeding or bruising. However, these symptoms often take a while to manifest due to the slow progression of the disease. People with the condition are usually treated with chemotherapy and stem cell or bone marrow transplants to replace the damaged white blood cells. Although there is not currently a cure for CLL, these treatment options can slow or stop disease progression, and through careful monitoring, treatment can be repeated if CLL re-occurs.
Developing treatments for CLL is a promising area of research at the moment. Alan Skarbnik, M.D., who works at the John Theurer Cancer Centre, has said,
“The idea that CLL is an incurable disease is changing.”