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Ibrutinib in B-cell Lymphomas

  • Lymphoma (A Engert, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

The standard frontline therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) includes the use of chemoimmunotherapy and/or radiation therapy. When patients with these diseases relapse or are refractory to therapy, their diseases are considered incurable outside of the setting of an autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant, which many patients are not candidates for due to age or comorbidities. The oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, ibrutinib, targets the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway that is critical in the survival of these malignancies. It has shown promising activity in certain subtypes of DLBCL, in relapsed or refractory FL, and in relapsed or refractory MCL for which it has recently received FDA approval and should be considered for use in patients in first relapse. Ibrutinib is an oral therapy taken daily that has been well tolerated by patients. Given the high response rates, tolerability, and acceptable toxicities of ibrutinib therapy, it is now being evaluated in combination therapy both in relapsed B-cell malignancies and frontline studies in DLBCL and MCL. Several other promising agents targeting different kinases in the BCR signaling pathway also are currently under investigation.

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Conflict of Interest

Kami Maddocks and Kristie A. Blum have both received research funding from Pharmacyclics.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Department of Hematology, Arthur G James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 320 W 10th Avenue, A350C Starling Loving Hall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Kami Maddocks MD & Kristie A. Blum MD

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  1. Kami Maddocks MD
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  2. Kristie A. Blum MD
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Correspondence to Kami Maddocks MD.

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Maddocks, K., Blum, K.A. Ibrutinib in B-cell Lymphomas. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 15, 226–237 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-014-0274-8

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