Photo Credit: CalypsoArt
For select patients with asymptomatic, lower-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia, ending specialized follow-up is feasible and safe, according to a study published in Blood Advances. Christian Brieghel, MD, PhD, and colleagues examined the feasibility and safety of ending specialized follow-up by assessing 3-year clinical outcomes for 112 patients who were selected to end and 88 patients selected to continue. Compared with patients continuing specialized follow-up, those who ended it were older but otherwise lower risk. The researchers found that overall survival at 3 years was similar between patients ending versus continuing specialized follow-up (87% and 80%, respectively). Compared with those continuing care, those ending it had lower hospital visits per patient-year (median, 0.7 vs 4.3) and longer time to first infection; this included shorter in-hospital antimicrobial treatment (median, 4 vs 12 days). One in six patients were re-referred, four of whom met the International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia criteria for treatment. Compared with patients continuing specialized follow-up, those ending it had a lower 3-year first treatment rate (4% vs 23%).