Chronic lymphocytic leukemia with deletion 17p: emerging treatment options.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in adults in the United States, with more than 16,000 people expected to be diagnosed with CLL in 2012. Most patients with CLL do not require treatment at diagnosis. Various genetic/molecular markers to help with prognostication have been established and validated and are routinely used in clinical practice.[1] These include β2-microglobulin, cytogenetics, immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (IGVH) mutational status, Zeta chain−associated protein 70 (ZAP-70) expression, and CD38 expression. The presence of deletion 17p, assessed either by conventional cytogenetics or, more commonly, by interphase fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), is associated with the worst clinical outcomes in patients with CLL.[2] In the current issue of ONCOLOGY, Drs. Stephens and Byrd provide a comprehensive overview of the issues pertaining to the management of patients with CLL associated with deletion 17p.