Researchers, led by Vasile Musteata, MD, PhD, MPH, conducted an observational cohort study to characterize treatment options and epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory features of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common type of leukemia in Western Europe and North America.

Their findings, which were reported at the 2023 Society of Hematologic Oncology Annual Meeting, suggested that CLL was most common in individuals from urban areas who are male and over 55 years of age.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia More Prevalent in Older, Urban Males

The study reviewed 110 patients with CLL who were treated at the Institute of Oncology of Moldova between 2015 and 2022. The most common antineoplastic therapies patients received were chlorambucil and rituximab as monotherapies and , R-COP, and rituximab, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide (RFC).

Of the total cohort, 59 (53.64%) newly diagnosed patients were from urban areas. The most prevalent age ranges were 65 to 74 years (n=38; 34%) and 55 to 64 years (n=41; 37%), and males had a higher incidence (n=65; 59.3%) compared with females (n=45; 40.7%; P<.05). Secondary conditions that developed included autoimmune thrombocytopenia in 23 (21.81%) patients and autoimmune hemolytic anemia in 28 (24.45%).

Lastly, on the Binet staging system, 70 (63%) patients were diagnosed with Stage A and 39 (35%) were diagnosed with Stage B. Authors noted 5-year overall survival (OS) was higher (P<.05) in patients with Stage B (80.33%) versus those with Stage C (66.67%). RFC had a complete response rate of (88.89%) and 5-year OS (84.35%).

In closing, the authors noted that the “RFC regimen proved to be the most efficient in terms of complete response rate and OS.”

Related: Difference in Anxiety Levels Between Oral, Intravenous Treatment in Patients With CLL