Evaluating the risk of infection associated with ibrutinib treatment in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

This study aimed to investigate the risk of infection with ibrutinib treatment in B-cell malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 

This study concluded that ibrutinib was associated with a higher risk of infections in these patients.

B-cell malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) lead to an increased risk of infection. This is due to immune defects associated with cancer. Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) is a targeted therapy used in the treatment of CLL. It was unknown what the risk of infection is in patients with B-cell malignancies treated with ibrutinib. 

This study analyzed results from 7 studies that involved a total of 2167 patients. These studies compared ibrutinib to other agents for B-cell malignancy treatment. Patients were treated for a duration of 9.4 months to 38.7 months.  

Ibrutinib was associated with an increased risk of infection in patients with B-cell malignancies (46%) compared to other treatments (37%). Ibrutinib was associated with a 34% higher risk of infections of any severity and a 35% higher risk of serious and life-threatening infections.

In patients with CLL, ibrutinib was associated with a 24% higher risk of serious and life-threatening infections. There was no significant difference in the risk of pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infection between groups in patients with CLL. 

This study concluded that ibrutinib was associated with a higher risk of infections in patients with B-cell malignancies. 

The studies analyzed had different protocols. Patients received ibrutinib as front-line therapy or for relapsed/unresponsive disease. The risk of infection may be different between these categories of patients. Further studies are needed.