CLL Treatment Disparities | First-Line Therapy Access
- CHICAGO — In a recent study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting, researchers identified disparities in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
- Adam Kittai, an associate professor at Mount sinai, emphasized the importance of these findings. "This research continues to highlight that access to care, and specifically access to the...
- The study, which analyzed data from 7,528 patients with CLL using the Flatiron Health database, used logistic regression to adjust for factors such as age, sex, and...
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment disparities are highlighted in a just-released study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting, revealing that Hispanic patients are less likely to receive preferred first-line therapies. Researchers utilized data from the Flatiron health database to examine how race and ethnicity impact access to crucial treatments like ibrutinib (Imbruvica). The study observed important variations in treatment choices based on practice type and time periods, underscoring crucial inequalities in healthcare.The findings, discussed in News Directory 3, emphasize the need for initiatives to ensure equitable access to care for all CLL patients, regardless of their background. Discover what’s next in the fight against these disparities.
Racial Disparities seen in CLL Treatment, Ibrutinib Use
Updated June 08, 2025
CHICAGO — In a recent study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting, researchers identified disparities in the
treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The retrospective study revealed that Hispanic patients were
significantly less likely to receive preferred first-line therapies compared to white patients. The research
also highlighted variations in treatment approaches based on practice type and specific time periods.
Use of preferred first-line treatment for CLL varied by race/ethnicity and practice type. Image: Adobe
stock.
Dr. Adam Kittai, an associate professor at Mount sinai, emphasized the importance of these findings. “This
research continues to highlight that access to care, and specifically access to the most modern therapies, may
be contributing to racial disparities observed in CLL,” Kittai told Healio. He also noted the impact of
guideline changes on prescribing patterns.
The study, which analyzed data from 7,528 patients with CLL using the Flatiron Health database, used logistic
regression to adjust for factors such as age, sex, and disease characteristics.The primary focus was on the
receipt of preferred first-line treatment, as defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
guidelines.
Kittai explained the motivation behind the research: “We performed this research to determine if all patients
are treated equitably.” He added that previous studies indicated that minority groups might be less likely to
receive novel therapies.
The study found that Hispanic patients were significantly less likely to receive preferred first-line treatment
(OR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47-0.79) compared to white patients.No significant difference was observed between black
and white patients. Furthermore, the research team noted a correlation between NCCN guideline updates and
treatment approaches, with improvements in adherence to preferred treatment observed in 2020, followed by a
decrease after second-generation therapies were prioritized.
“Hispanic patients appeared less likely to be treated with a preferred regimen per the NCCN guidelines,
despite having access to oncologic care — this difference in treating with preferred regimens may lead to
worse outcomes,” Kittai said.
What’s next
Kittai called for initiatives to reduce gaps in access to care and urged physicians to treat all patients
equally, irrespective of race. He also suggested exploring new ways to bring care to patients’ communities to
mitigate barriers.