Front-line treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Abstract

Aim: A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis were conducted to determine the relative efficacy and safety of interventions for treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, as comparative evidence is scarce.

Materials & methods: Relative treatment effects of progression-free survival, overall survival and safety outcomes were estimated via network meta-analysis based on data identified via systematic literature review.

Results: Ibrutinib was superior in all pairwise comparisons for progression-free survival (probability to be better [P] range: overall population: 69-100%; fludarabine-ineligible population: 69-100%) and overall survival (P range: overall: 89-100%; fludarabine-ineligible: 91-100%) and had the highest probability of being best for all outcomes.

Conclusion: Ibrutinib provides superior benefit in survival and safety compared with other front-line treatments of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukemia; fludarabine-ineligible; front-line; ibrutinib; meta-analysis; systematic literature review; treatment-naive.