Evaluating the risk of infection associated with ibrutinib treatment in patients with B-cell lymphoma

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

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

B-cell malignancies such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) 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 NHL. 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.

There was no significant difference in the risk of pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infection between groups.

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 frontline therapy or for relapsed/unresponsive disease. The risk of infection may be different between these categories of patients. Further studies are needed.