Treating Leukemia without Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy has long been the primary treatment option for those battling various cancers, including leukemia. While a proven tactic in treating the condition, chemotherapy is accompanied by numerous side effects and is known to lessen the recipient’s quality of life. It is, by definition, a necessary evil for many patients.

For those with chronic lymphocytic leukemia—one of the most common forms of the disease—chemotherapy is not unusual. However, a recent announcement in the United Kingdom has doctors and patients alike feeling hopeful for a future free of chemotherapy.

A new targeted treatment has been approved for adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia that is untreated. This regimen, which is called venetoclax plus obinutuzumab, is a first-line treatment alternative to chemotherapy, giving those with the common form of leukemia a welcomed second option.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence made the announcement of this approval in November of 2020.

More on the Treatment

More thorough understandings of human biology and the massive strides made in medical science have created a new type of treatment. Targeted treatments, which offer personalized therapy without the necessity of chemotherapy, rely on tumor biology and microenvironment knowledge to provide this new form of care.

What this means is that certain forms of leukemia, such as the common chronic lymphocytic leukemia, are seeing significant strides in targeted treatment, while others, such as acute myeloid leukemia, are lagging behind in this regard.

However, the advancements made in medical science regarding targeted treatment, including the many trials that have been conducted with positive results, have established a foundation on which to build. Other forms of leukemia—and cancer in general—will likely benefit from these developments in the years to come.

What it Means

Personalized treatment, especially in relation to hematology, is set to redefine what medical treatment looks like in the new decade. With several breakthroughs already shifting treatment methods and several more undoubtedly on the way, now is an exciting time for doctors, patients, and researchers.

Advances in cytogenic analysis have and should continue to contribute to these strides. So, too, should cell-based treatments. All of these improvements hold great promise and signal tremendous hope for targeted therapies that will give patients better prognoses and a higher quality of life.