Extranodal Organ Involvement in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical Features and Outcomes With Bruton Tyrosine Kinase and BCL‐2 Inhibitors
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology University Hospital Münster Münster Germany
- 2Oncology Practice and Day Clinic Gelsenkirchen Germany
- 3MVZ Media Vita Münster Hematology and Oncology Practice Münster Germany
- 4Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology University Hospital Göttingen Göttingen Germany
Abstract
Background Although chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) typically follows an indolent course involving blood, lymph nodes, and bone marrow, extranodal organ involvement is rare and poorly characterized. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 19 patients with histologically confirmed extranodal CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), assessing organ involvement, clinical features, genetic risk factors, and response to therapy. Results Different organs were affected, most frequently the kidneys (7/19). Median age at initial CLL diagnosis was 54 years, median time from CLL diagnosis to extranodal manifestation was 3 years. Genetic risk factors were comparable to typical CLL cohorts. Per treatment episode, exploratory overall response rate (ORR) for Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) was 88.9% (8/9); median progression‐free survival (PFS) from treatment initiation was 29 months. For venetoclax‐based regimens, ORR was 83.3% (5/6) and median PFS 52 months. Conclusions These data suggest meaningful activity of BTK and BCL‐2 inhibitors in CLL/SLL with extranodal organ involvement.
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BibTeX
@article{schulze2026extranodal,
title = {{Extranodal Organ Involvement in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical Features and Outcomes With Bruton Tyrosine Kinase and BCL‐2 Inhibitors}},
author = {Finn J. Schulze and Evgenii Shumilov and Akhil Behringer and Andrea Kerkhoff and Matthias Eckhardt and Simone Bätker and Markus Maulhardt and Georg Lenz and Alexander Pohlmann},
journal = {Cancer Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/cam4.72341},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.72341},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Extranodal Organ Involvement in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical Features and Outcomes With Bruton Tyrosine Kinase and BCL‐2 Inhibitors
AU - Finn J. Schulze
AU - Evgenii Shumilov
AU - Akhil Behringer
AU - Andrea Kerkhoff
AU - Matthias Eckhardt
AU - Simone Bätker
AU - Markus Maulhardt
AU - Georg Lenz
AU - Alexander Pohlmann
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/24
JO - Cancer Medicine
DO - 10.1002/cam4.72341
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.72341
AB - Background Although chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) typically follows an indolent course involving blood, lymph nodes, and bone marrow, extranodal organ involvement is rare and poorly characterized. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 19 patients with histologically confirmed extranodal CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), assessing organ involvement, clinical features, genetic risk factors, and response to therapy. Results Different organs were affected, most frequently the kidneys (7/19). Median age at initial CLL diagnosis was 54 years, median time from CLL diagnosis to extranodal manifestation was 3 years. Genetic risk factors were comparable to typical CLL cohorts. Per treatment episode, exploratory overall response rate (ORR) for Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) was 88.9% (8/9); median progression‐free survival (PFS) from treatment initiation was 29 months. For venetoclax‐based regimens, ORR was 83.3% (5/6) and median PFS 52 months. Conclusions These data suggest meaningful activity of BTK and BCL‐2 inhibitors in CLL/SLL with extranodal organ involvement.
SN - 2045-7634
ER -