Routine treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia by office‐based haematologists in Germany—data from the Prospective Tumour Registry Lymphatic Neoplasms

Various treatment options exist for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Clinical registries provide insight into routine treatment and identify changes in treatment over time. The Tumour Registry Lymphatic Neoplasms prospectively collects data on the treatment of patients with lymphoid B-cell neoplasm as administered by office-based haematologists in Germany. Data on patient and tumour characteristics, co-morbidities, systemic treatments, and outcome parameters are recorded. Eight hundred and six patients with CLL were recruited between May 2009 and August 2013. At the start of first-line treatment, median age was 71 years, 64% were male, and 44% had a Binet stage C disease. The most frequently used first-line/second-line regimens were bendamustine + rituximab (BR, 56%/55%), fludarabine + cyclophosphamide + rituximab (FCR, 22%/11%), and bendamustine (B, 5%/9%). Chlorambucil was used in only 7% (first-line) and 6% (second-line) of patients. Patients treated with FCR were younger and healthier than patients treated with BR. Overall, 91% of first-line treatments were successful (40% complete response). Real-life patient populations differ considerably from patients treated in randomized controlled trials. BR and FCR dominate the first-line and second-line treatments of CLL by office-based haematologists in Germany. Future analysis will investigate progression-free and overall survival times.