Toxicities
All patients experienced hematologic toxicity with grade 3-4
thrombocytopenia, anemia, and neutropenia. Non-hematologic Grade 3-4
adverse events (AEs) attributed to venetoclax are summarized inTable 3 . Five patients (38%) developed grade 3 or higher
infections while receiving venetoclax. Four patients (23%) developed
bacteremia due to uncommon organisms (Vignettes 1-2), one of whom
developed four distinct episodes of bacteremia in addition to multiple
other infectious complications (Vignette 2). Patient 13 developed Grade
4 encephalitis with multiple rim-enhancing brain lesions thought to be
bacterial abscesses (Vignette 3). Two patients developed invasive
pulmonary infections with Aspergillus. Two patients developed grade 3
skin infections. Patient 6, an infant, developed grade 3 nausea, which
prompted discontinuation of venetoclax. No deaths occurred within 30
days of the start of venetoclax combination therapy, and no grade 5 AEs
were reported as associated with venetoclax. No clinically significant
tumor lysis syndrome was seen.
To demonstrate the wide spectrum of hematologic malignancies treated
with venetoclax and the range of infectious complications that arose in
our experience, we share the following vignettes.