Hear’s a breakdown of the key information from the provided text:
Main Point:
A new first-line treatment regimen involving acalabrutinib (Calquence) - either alone or in combination with reduced-dose chemotherapy – shows promise in improving progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and potentially reducing the need for intensive chemotherapy in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Key Details:
* Treatment: Acalabrutinib (Calquence) is a key component of the regimen. It’s being used both as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy.
* Impact: The study suggests that many patients may not need traditional, high-dose cytotoxic chemotherapy.
* Caution: The findings are currently limited to a single-center study and are still considered experimental.It should only be used within the context of a clinical trial.
* Expert opinion: Dr. Henry Chi Hang Fung (Fox Chase Cancer Center) describes the findings as “proof-of-concept” for de-escalating chemotherapy doses.
* Contact: Dr. Henry Chi Hang Fung can be reached at henry.fung@tuhs.temple.edu.
Source information:
* Source: Healio Interviews
* Reference: Westin J, et al. Abstract 477. Presented at: ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition; Dec. 6-9, 2025; Orlando.
* Disclosure: Dr. Fung reports financial relationships with Johnson & Johnson.
* Published by: HemOnc Today (Healio)
Healio AI Promotion: The article also includes a promotion for Healio AI, a tool that provides access to medical knowledge from sources like PubMed, clinical guidelines, and Healio’s news coverage.
