Venetoclax: The BCL-2 Inhibitor Changing Blood Cancer Treatment
Venetoclax: How a “Molecular Off-Switch” Is Changing Blood Cancer Treatment How blocking BCL-2 allows blood cancer cells to restart their own self-destruct programme ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ Venetoclax is a targeted medicine that blocks BCL-2 , a survival protein used by some blood cancers. ✓ By inhibiting BCL-2, Venetoclax helps cancer cells restart apoptosis , their natural self-destruct programme. ✓ It is used in adults with CLL/SLL and in selected older or medically unfit adults with newly diagnosed AML . ✓ Venetoclax-based combinations have helped make fixed-duration treatment possible for many people with CLL. ✓ Because it can kill large numbers of cancer cells rapidly, treatment must be carefully managed to reduce the risk of tumour lysis syndrome . A Personal Note I recently came across a blog where people living with blood cancer and their families were sharing their experiences. Reading their stories made me think about what a drug like Venetoclax c...