Toxicology-informed sequencing to optimise cancer therapy - Authors' reply.
Summary
Toxicology-informed sequencing to optimise cancer therapy - Authors’ reply The Lancet 2026 Correspondence that ibrutinib–rituximab can reach Gang Lv, Jing Yuan, Xiangxiang Jiang, inhibitor therapy might be possible chemotherapy-free disease control Jun Wu, Z Kevin Lu and can be associated with favourable in older patients with mantle-cell lu32@email.sc.edu outcomes, but it is not yet clear lymphoma who were not eligible Department of General Surgery, The First Medical how these results compare w
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# Toxicology-informed sequencing to optimise cancer therapy - Authors’ reply
*The Lancet 2026*
Correspondence
that ibrutinib–rituximab can reach Gang Lv, Jing Yuan, Xiangxiang Jiang, inhibitor therapy might be possible
chemotherapy-free disease control Jun Wu, *Z Kevin Lu and can be associated with favourable
in older patients with mantle-cell lu32@email.sc.edu outcomes, but it is not yet clear
lymphoma who were not eligible Department of General Surgery, The First Medical how these results compare with
for transplantation. The ENRICH Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, chemotherapy approaches in this
China (GL); Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences,
trial represents a pivotal advance, group of patients.4 Ongoing studies
University of Macau, Macau, China (JY); Department
yet its findings invite refinement are assessing the role of MRD-
of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences,
for broader clinical practice. First, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, directed treatment interruptions
the absence of minimal residual Columbia, SC 29208, USA (XJ, ZKL); Department of while receiving first-line BTK inhibitor
Sociobehavioral and Administrative Pharmacy,
disease (MRD) monitoring reduces treatment for mantle-cell lymphoma.5
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL,
the opportunity to identify patients USA (JW) We agree that the optimal first-line
who could safely discontinue Bruton 1 Lewis DJ, Jerkeman M, Sorrell L, et al. Ibrutinib treatment for patients with mantle-cell
tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibition once and rituximab versus immunochemotherapy lymphoma requires further refinement,
in patients with previously untreated mantle
deep molecular remission is reached. cell lymphoma (ENRICH): a randomised, open- and that combined chemotherapy plus
MRD-guided or circulating tumour label, phase 2/3 superiority trial. Lancet 2025; BTK-inhibitor treatment might benefit
406: 1953–68.
DNA (ctDNA)-guided discontinuation patients, particularly those with high risk
2 Zheng J, Qin C, Wang Q, Tian D, Chen Z.
could reduce cumulative exposure, Circulating tumour DNA-based molecular features such as high Ki67 and blastoid
thereby lessening toxicological residual disease detection in resectable status.2 By contrast, chemotherapy-free
cancers: a systematic review and meta-
risk, improving adherence, and analysis. EBioMedicine 2024; 103: 105109. combinations of rituximab and anti-
optimising health-care resources.2 3 Minotti G. Cardiovascular toxicity of Bruton CD20 antibody appear highly effective
tyrosine kinase inhibitors: forget about
Second, long-term indefinite in patients with low-risk mantle-cell
selectivity but watch the clock. Blood Adv
ibrutinib therapy might not align with 2024; 8: 3810–12. lymphoma.5,6 Future studies will refine
geriatric oncology principles, where 4 Awan FT, Addison D, Alfraih F, et al. International novel treatment strategies to improve
consensus statement on the management of
multimorbidity, pharmacodynamic outcomes of patients with high-risk
cardiovascular risk of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase
variability, and cumulative organ inhibitors in CLL. Blood Adv 2022; 6: 5516–25. mantle-cell lymphoma for whom new
stress are central concerns. Time- 5 Wang ML, Jurczak W, Jerkeman M, et al. approaches are required.1
Ibrutinib plus bendamustine and rituximab in
restricted, adaptive regimens guided untreated mantle-cell lymphoma. N Engl J Med DJL reports consultancy and honoraria from
by MRD or imaging biomarkers could 2022; 386: 2482–94. AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Beigene, Roche,
maintain efficacy while minimising AbbVie, and Lilly. SR is a current employee of
AstraZeneca.
chronic exposure and drug–drug Authors’ reply
interactions.3 Third, the observed We thank Gang Lv and colleagues for *David J Lewis, Simon Rule
cardiotoxicity—atrial fibrillation the response to our study.1 We agree david.lewis17@nhs.net
and cardiac deaths in approximately that minimal residual disease (MRD) Department of Haematology, University Hospitals
5–7% of participants—highlights monitoring could help to optimise the Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth PL6 8DH, UK (DJL);
AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK (SR)
the need for toxicology-informed treatment of mantle-cell lymphoma
1 Lewis DJ, Jerkeman M, Sorrell L, et al. Ibrutinib
pharmacovigilance, such as baseline with ibrutinib and other Bruton tyrosine
and rituximab versus immunochemotherapy
cardiac biomarkers, structured rhythm kinase (BTK) inhibitors. However, in patients with previously untreated mantle
monitoring, and proactive cardio- no study comparing outcomes of cell lymphoma (ENRICH): a randomised, open-
label, phase 2/3 superiority trial. Lancet 2025;
oncology collaboration.3,4 Integrating continuous use of BTK inhibitors 406: 1953–68.
pharmacologic toxicology with versus an MRD-driven approach has yet 2 Wang ML, Jurczak W, Jerkeman M, et al.
Ibrutinib plus bendamustine and rituximab in
molecular response profiling (eg, MRD been reported. Currently, continuous
untreated mantle-cell lymphoma. N Engl J Med
or ctDNA) could yield an exposure– therapy with BTK inhibitors remains 2022; 386: 2482–94.
response–toxicity framework or the standard of care in most first-line 3 Wang M, Salek D, Belada D, et al. Acalabrutinib
plus bendamustine-rituximab in untreated
a therapeutic monitoring index, mantle-cell lymphoma studies.2,3
mantle cell lymphoma. J Clin Oncol 2025;
balancing biological remission with MRD was performed as an 43: 2276–84.
systemic tolerance. Lastly, short- experimental endpoint in the ENRICH 4 Giné E, de la Cruz F, Jiménez Ubieto A, et al.
Ibrutinib in combination with rituximab for
course chemoimmunotherapy trial using a novel flow cytometric panel, indolent clinical forms of mantle cell
induction followed by BTK-inhibitor and results will be published in a future lymphoma (Imantle-cell lymphoma-2015):
a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II
maintenance could offer a pragmatic manuscript, but MRD results were not
trial. J Clin Oncol 2022; 40: 1196–205.
and globally applicable compromise, used to inform treatment decisions. 5 Jerkeman M, Wader KF, Glimelius I, et al.
maintaining remission depth while In low-risk mantle-cell lymphoma, Acalabrutinib and rituximab in elderly patients
with newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma
potentially reducing long-term a single-arm study enrolling selected including a matched population-based external
cardiovascular and systemic toxicity.5 patients at low risk has demonstrated comparator—the Nordic lymphoma group
NLG-mantle-cell lymphoma8 (ALTAMIRA)
that cessation of continuous BTK
We declare no competing interests. phase ii trial. Blood 2024; 144 (suppl 1): 747.
Correspondence
6 Le Gouill S, Morschhauser F, Chiron D, et al. serious health-related suffering,2 a Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia (CP, JP);
Ibrutinib, obinutuzumab, and venetoclax in figure projected to grow to 48 million by Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia (PK)
relapsed and untreated patients with mantle
cell lymphoma: a phase 1/2 trial. Blood 2021; 2060; 83% of these deaths will occur 1 Romanello M, Walawender M, Hsu S-C, et al.
137: 877–87. in low-income and middle-income The 2025 report of the Lancet Countdown on
health and climate change: climate change
countries.4 However, these predictions action offers a lifeline. Lancet 2025;
do not take into account the escalating 406: 2804–57.
Climate adaptation 2 Knaul FM, Farmer PE, Krakauer EL, et al.
impact of climate change and, as such,
Alleviating the access abyss in palliative care
must address global are probably underestimates. and pain relief—an imperative of universal
health coverage: the Lancet Commission
Despite presenting a comprehensive
inequity of suffering report. Lancet 2018; 391: 1391–454.
suite of 57 indicators, the Countdown 3 Tripodoro VA, Fidalgo JFL, Pons JJ, et al.
includes no measure of palliative care First-ever global ranking of palliative care:
2025 world map under the new WHO
The 2025 Lancet Countdown on health capacity, access, or preparedness.
framework. J Pain Symptom Manage 2025;
and climate change highlights the Without such metrics, countries have 70: 447–58.
accelerating human toll of climate no way to evaluate their capacity to 4 Sleeman KE, de Brito M, Etkind S, et al.
The escalating global burden of serious health-
inaction and documents record heat- manage or relieve suffering among related suffering: projections to 2060 by world
related deaths, widespread food people who are dying, displaced, regions, age groups, and health conditions.
Lancet Glob Health 2019; 7: e883–92.
insecurity, and intensifying climate- or chronically ill under worsening
driven disease risks.1 However, environmental conditions, and no
one aspect of the health response that imperative to do so. Adaptation
Broadening metrics in
is becoming increasingly urgent as the strategies can risk reinforcing global
climate emergency intensifies remains inequities by prioritising individuals the Lancet Countdown
absent from the report: equitable with curable illness and neglecting
on health and climate
access to palliative and end-of-life care. those with serious or terminal disease
The regions predicted to have the in increasingly harsh, resource-scarce change
greatest increases in climate-related environments.
mortality (south Asia, sub-Saharan This omission is not only a technical Reading the Lancet Countdown,1 I felt
Africa, and small island developing one but also an ethical one. The both concern and unease. The evidence
states) are the same regions in which Countdown rightly emphasises of worsening climate-related health
the Lancet Commission on palliative equity, gender-responsiveness, and impacts is deeply saddening. But the
care and pain relief identified the Indigenous knowledge,1 but not Countdown’s treatment of energy felt
world’s most severe burden of the equitable relief of suffering. narrow, presenting renewables as the
serious health-related suffering.2 Communities least responsible for only solution while omitting other
Many countries in these regions greenhouse gas emissions now face low-carbon options. Having been a
have isolated or no palliative care the twin injustice of premature death committed climate activist, I have since
services.3 Access to effective pain relief and inadequate care at the end of life. spent several years trying to understand
remains profoundly unequal,2 with A just climate response must why energy debates have become
10% of countries accounting for more recognise palliative care as fund- polarised. One recurring concern is
than 90% of global medical opioid amental to adaptation and the the narrative that fossil fuels are bad
consumption.2 This inequity mirrors resilience of health systems. Climate and renewables are good, although
the global distribution of climate change will increasingly bring death, directionally correct, this oversimplifies
vulnerability; people in the highest- displacement, and suffering. Ensuring system-level challenges around cost
income groups will feel the effects of that these deaths are accompanied by and reliability.2 These concerns should
climate change last, whereas people dignity and relief, rather than neglect, be engaged, not waved away.
most exposed to the effects of climate is a moral imperative and a test of our Solar and wind play an important
change, including people in low- collective humanity. role, but electricity grids must operate
income or climate-vulnerable settings, around the clock, including on cold,
CP reports a grant from the Australian Government
lack the means to relieve health- (Research Training Program PhD Scholarship). All windless winter evenings. A grid
related suffering. other authors declare no competing interests. dominated by renewables requires
Global mean annual temperatures *Cara Platts, Jennifer Philip, extensive transmission infrastructure,
are now more than 1·5°C higher than Paul Komesaroff backup generation, and balancing
pre-industrial temperatures, and heat- c.platts@unimelb.edu.au services. Today, that backup is
related mortality has increased by 63% overwhelmingly gas, which must
Melbourne Medical School, University of
since the 1990s.1 Meanwhile, at least Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia (CP, JP); be maintained even when unused.
25·5 million people die annually from Palliative Care Service, St Vincent’s Hospital As a result, although renewables are
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DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00791-9