Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41722016›Full record

SynthesisOncology and therapy2026

Venetoclax Plus Rituximab for Relapse/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Treatments Available in Brazil.

Bruno M Barros, Márcia Gisele S Costa, Marcelo G Correia, Carlos S Magliano, Pedro Vitor P Lima, Natália B Santoni, Andreas Duva, Maria Isabel Duran

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Oncology and therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Bruno M BarrosAsas Avaliações Econômicas Em Saúde Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9487-6139
Márcia Gisele S CostaAsas Avaliações Econômicas Em Saúde Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3861-5257
Marcelo G CorreiaInstituto Nacional de Cardiologia, INC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3446-5741
Carlos S MaglianoAsas Avaliações Econômicas Em Saúde Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0210-4877
Pedro Vitor P LimaAbbVie Brasil, Av. Jornalista Roberto Marinho, 85-7º Andar-Brooklin Novo, São Paulo, SP, 04576-010, Brazil. pedro.lima@abbvie.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-6220-189X
Natália B SantoniAbbVie Brasil, Av. Jornalista Roberto Marinho, 85-7º Andar-Brooklin Novo, São Paulo, SP, 04576-010, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-1543-7928
Andreas DuvaAbbVie Brasil, Av. Jornalista Roberto Marinho, 85-7º Andar-Brooklin Novo, São Paulo, SP, 04576-010, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-0393-455X
Maria Isabel DuranAbbVie Brasil, Av. Jornalista Roberto Marinho, 85-7º Andar-Brooklin Novo, São Paulo, SP, 04576-010, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5920-5949

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionVenetoclax represents a significant advancement in target anticancer therapy in the management of relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (RR-CLL). This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of the venetoclax + rituximab (VenR) regimen with other therapies approved in Brazil.

methodsA systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatments approved in Brazil for RR-CLL. Comprehensive literature searches were performed to identify randomized controlled trials. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence for each outcome were assessed across the included studies. The NMA was conducted using a frequentist framework. The primary efficacy outcomes were progression-free survival, overall survival, overall response rate, and time to next therapy. Safety was assessed on the basis of the incidence of serious adverse events.

resultsA total of 24 publications related to 12 trials were identified and included. VenR was associated with better survival outcomes when compared with standard regimens such as rituximab (HR 0.16; 95% CI 0.03-0.74) and physician choice (HR 0.17; 95% CI 0.04-0.81). In terms of progression-free survival, VenR achieved HR < 0.20, supported by narrow confidence intervals, when compared to treatments such as bendamustine plus rituximab, ofatumumab and physician choice, in addition to significantly favorable results compared to ibrutinib and acalabrutinib. Approximately half of the studies presented a low risk of bias, and the certainty of evidence assessed using the GRADE-NMA approach resulted in very low certainty of evidence, mainly due to risk of bias, intransitivity, and imprecision.

conclusionThis NMA provides valuable evidence to support rational therapeutic choices for RR-CLL in Brazil, highlighting VenR and Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors as leading treatment options across diverse clinical scenarios.

Indexed as

Chronic lymphocytic leukemiaNetwork meta-analysisRefractoryRelapsedRituximabSystematic reviewVenetoclax

Identifiers

PMID41722016
PMCPMC12992741

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.