Testing the Effects of Early Treatment With Venetoclax and Obinutuzumab Versus Delayed Treatment With Venetoclax and Obinutuzumab for Newly Diagnosed Patients With High-Risk Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Who Do Not Have Symptoms, the EVOLVE CLL/SLL Study

For people ages 18 years and up

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients must have a confirmed diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) (collectively referred to as CLL throughout) according to the 2018 International Workshop on CLL. Patients must have been diagnosed within 12 months prior to registration
• Patients must not meet any of the International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (IWCLL) specified criteria for active CLL therapy
• Patients must have CLL-International Prognostic Index (CLL-IPI) score >= 4 and/or complex cytogenetics (defined as 3+ chromosomal abnormalities)
• Cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses must be completed at the site's Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA)-approved laboratory within 12 months prior to registration. FISH panel should use probes to detect for abnormalities in chromosomes 13q, 12, 11q, and 17p. TP53 mutation status (if completed) must be obtained within 12 months prior to registration. Immunoglobulin heavy chain locus variable (IgVH) mutational status must be obtained prior to registration (at any time prior to registration). Serum beta-2 microglobulin level must be obtained within 28 days prior to registration
• Patients must not have received or be currently receiving any prior CLL-directed therapy, including non-protocol-related therapy, anti-cancer immunotherapy, experimental therapy, or radiotherapy
• The treating physician must have the intent of using V-O as initial therapy when the patient requires initial treatment
• Treatment with high dose corticosteroids and/or intravenous immunoglobulin for autoimmune complications of CLL must be complete at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment. Palliative steroids must be at a dose not higher than 20 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent corticosteroid at the time of registration. Prior therapy with anti CD20 monoclonal antibodies is not allowed
• Patients must not be receiving or planning to receive any other investigational agents before completing protocol therapy
• Patients must be >= 18 years of age
• Patients must have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 2

• Platelet count >= 100,000/mm³ within 28 days prior to registration

• Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1,000/mm³ within 28 days prior to registration

• Creatinine clearance >= 30mL/min (by Cockcroft Gault) within 28 days prior to registration
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) < 3.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN) within 28 days prior to registration
• Total bilirubin =< 2.0 x ULN (or 5.0 x ULN if the patient has a history of Gilbert's disease), within 28 days prior to registration
• Patients must not have current, clinically significant gastrointestinal malabsorption, in the opinion of treating doctor
• Patients must be able to take oral medications
• Obinutuzumab has been associated with hepatitis reactivation. Participants must not have uncontrolled active infection with hepatitis B or C. Participants with latent hepatitis B infection must agree to take prophylaxis during and for 6 months following active protocol therapy with V-O.
• Active infection with hepatitis B or C:
• Active infection is defined as detectable hepatitis B deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or hepatitis C ribonucleic acid (RNA) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
• Latent infection with hepatitis B:
• Latent infection is defined as meeting all of the following criteria:
• Hepatitis B surface antigen positive
• Anti-hepatitis B total core antibody positive
• Anti-hepatitis IgM core antibody undetectable
• Hepatitis B PCR undetectable
• Participants with latent hepatitis B infection must agree to take prophylaxis with anti-hepatitis agents during and for 6 months following active protocol therapy with V-O.
• Participants who have received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy within 6 months who are hepatitis B core total antibody positive but PCR undetectable are not mandated to take prophylaxis
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial
• Patients may not have had major surgery within 30 days prior registration or minor surgery within 7 days prior to registration. Examples of major surgery include neurosurgical procedures, joint replacements, and surgeries that occur inside the thoracic or abdomino-pelvic cavities. Examples of minor surgery include dental surgery, insertion of a venous access device, skin biopsy, or aspiration of a joint. If there is a question about whether a surgery is major or minor, this should be discussed with the study chair
• Patients must not have known bleeding disorders (e.g., von Willebrand's disease or hemophilia)
• Patients must not have a history of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to enrollment
• Patients must not require continued therapy with a strong inhibitor or inducer of CYP3A4/5, as venetoclax is extensively metabolized by CYP3A4/5
• Patients must not have uncontrolled autoimmune hemolytic anemia or idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura
• Patients must not have any currently active, clinically significant cardiovascular disease, such as uncontrolled arrhythmia or class 3 or 4 congestive heart failure as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification; or a history of myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or acute coronary syndrome within 6 months prior to enrollment
• Patients with history of malignancy are allowed providing the cancer has not required active treatment within 2 years prior to registration (hormonal therapy is permissible). The following exceptions are permissible: basal cell, squamous cell skin, or non-melanomatous skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, superficial bladder cancer not treated with intravesical chemotherapy or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) within 6 months, localized prostate cancer requiring no more than chronic hormonal therapy, or localized breast cancer requiring no more than chronic hormonal therapy
• Patients must not be pregnant or nursing, as there are no safety data available for these drug regimens during pregnancy. Women/men of reproductive potential must have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method. A woman is considered to be of "reproductive potential" if she has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months. In addition to routine contraceptive methods, "effective contraception" also includes heterosexual celibacy and surgery intended to prevent pregnancy (or with a side-effect of pregnancy prevention) defined as a hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy or bilateral tubal ligation. However, if at any point a previously celibate patient chooses to become heterosexually active during the time period for use of contraceptive measures outlined in the protocol, he/she is responsible for beginning contraceptive measures
• Patients must be offered participation in banking for future research. With patient's consent, specimens must be submitted
• Patients who are able to complete patient reported outcome (PRO) forms in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian or Mandarin must agree to participate in the quality of life assessments. (Those patients who are unable to read and write in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian or Mandarin may be registered to S1925 without contributing to the quality of life portion of the study.)
• Patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and must sign and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines.
• As a part of the Oncology Patient Enrollment Network (OPEN) registration process the treating institution's identity is provided in order to ensure that the current (within 365 days) date of institutional review board approval for this study has been entered in the system