Can ibrutinib be stopped safely?

Drugs.com

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Stopping ibrutinib can result in a disease flare-up in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). A 2020 study in The Oncologist found that approximately 25% of ibrutinib patients with a median interruption period of 8 days experienced a flare or rapid CLL progression.

Disease flares are more likely to occur in patients who have been taking ibrutinib for 24 months or longer.

Patients with a more progressive stage of disease are more likely to experience a flare.

Symptoms of a disease flare can include body aches, painful lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, night sweats and abdominal pain.

Once ibrutinib treatment is resumed, flares usually resolve.

Corticosteroids have been found to be an effective option to combat the symptoms of disease flares. Flares do not appear to be caused by lowering the dose of ibrutinib.

However, temporary stoppages of treatment are common in patients with CLL. At least 40% of patients experience a temporary interruption of their treatment, according to researchers in The Oncologist. Most often, ibrutinib will be stopped due to side effects or a medical procedure. Ibrutinib is contraindicated in surgical patients due to the risk of bleeding.

Other common reasons for stopping include:

  • Progression of disease
  • Richter’s transformation
  • Neutropenia
  • Drug interactions
  • Treatment toxicities

    • A 2017 study in Hematological Oncology notes that:

    The median overall survival rate of patients after completely stopping ibrutinib due to a non-infectious adverse event was 245 days (approximately 8 months).

    Patients with progressive CLL had a reduced median survival rate of 33 days after completely stopping ibrutinib.

    Related medical questions

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords