Frequency and type of serious infections in fludarabine-refractory B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma: implications for clinical trials in this patient population.

Abstract

The frequency of serious infections in patients with fludarabine-refractory CLL/SLL is high. These findings are relevant to trials with new and highly effective agents for which the incidence of serious infections after treatment might otherwise appear to be prohibitively high.