Richter Transformation in the Canadian Landscape: Clinical Perspectives and Emerging Trends

Authors

  • Jean-Nicolas Champagne, MD, FRCPC Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hôpital Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, QC.
  • Alina S. Gerrie, MD, MPH, FRCPC Divisions of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58931/cht.2025.4163

Abstract

Over the past decade, the treatment landscape for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and its lymphoma counterpart, small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), has evolved significantly. The shift from chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) to the increased use of targeted agents, such as Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) and B-cell lymphoma 2 inhibitors (BCL2i), has led to marked improvements in patient outcomes. Despite these advancements, some patients still experience disease transformation to a more aggressive histology known as Richter Transformation (RT), and the clinical outcomes with this histology remain dismal, with median overall survival (OS) typically shorter than one year. Therefore, RT represents a significant unmet need for patients with CLL/SLL. This review describes recent advances in the understanding and management of RT within the Canadian landscape, focusing on transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Author Biographies

Jean-Nicolas Champagne, MD, FRCPC, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hôpital Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, QC.

Dr. Champagne obtained his medical degree and completed his internal medicine residency at Université Laval, in Québec City. He completed dual specialties at Université de Montréal, graduating in hematology and medical oncology in 2023. He received the Royal College Detweiler Traveling Fellowship to pursue his training in lymphoproliferative disease at BC Cancer in Vancouver. He is now practicing at Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, where he focuses on malignant hematology, especially lymphoma.

Alina S. Gerrie, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Divisions of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC

Dr. Alina Gerrie is a hematologist and Associate Professor in the Divisions of Medical Oncology and Hematology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Clinician Investigator at the Centre for Lymphoid Cancer at BC Cancer, Vancouver Centre. She completed her medical degree and internal medicine residency at the University of Toronto, followed by hematology residency at UBC. She undertook a fellowship through the Royal College Clinical Investigator Program and earned a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University, where her research included investigating the impact of genetic abnormalities on population-level outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. Dr. Gerrie currently holds a Michael Smith Health Research Investigator Award and is involved in translational, clinical trial and outcomes-based research related to leukemia and lymphoma. Other academic interests include the investigation of novel therapeutics and cellular therapy for CLL and lymphoma.

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2025-05-05

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Champagne J-N, Gerrie AS. Richter Transformation in the Canadian Landscape: Clinical Perspectives and Emerging Trends. Can Hematol Today [Internet]. 2025 May 5 [cited 2025 May 12];4(1):5–13. Available from: https://canadianhematologytoday.com/article/view/4-1-Champagne_et_al

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