Oncologist Ghia: ‘acalabrutinib improves life in patients with lymphatic leukemia’

“Aifa’s reimbursement of the drug acalabrutinib for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia can truly change their lives. First of all because the drug is approved for all patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, both those who have never had previous treatment and those who have already had treatment. Patients therefore have access to this drug at any stage of their disease. The drug is oral and must be taken every day, being well tolerated makes it possible to have an optimal quality of life for many years “. So Paolo Ghia, professor of medical oncology at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, on the occasion of the press conference organized by AstraZeneca in Milan. “Chronic lymphatic leukemia is the most frequent in the Western world – explains Ghia – it mainly affects elderly people, the average age is 72 years, although unfortunately we also see many diagnoses on younger patients. The disease does not need to be treated immediately because it is an indolent disease, the patient must be followed for many years before he needs treatment. We are living in a period of gradual transition from immuno-chemotherapy treatments to personalized and biological therapies that are extremely effective and with fewer side effects. “In this context, the anti-Covid vaccine is essential for those in contact with patients with chronic lymphatic leukemia. : “It is the patients who tell us who are not sick to vaccinate us – concludes Ghia – because their immune system does not offer a vaccination response. This is why it is important to create a protective barrier around them ”.