This phase II trials studies how well acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab works in treating patients with early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. Acalabrutinib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as obinutuzumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. It is not yet known whether giving acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab will work better in treating patients with early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.
Age >= 18 years
Biopsy-proven small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) , or
The population of lymphocytes share both B-cell antigens (CD19, CD20 [typically dim expression], or CD23) as well as CD5 in the absence of other pan-T-cell markers (CD3, CD2, etc.)
Clonality as evidenced by kappa or lambda light chain expression (typically dim immunoglobulin expression) or other genetic method (e.g. IGHV analysis)
Date of CLL/SLL diagnosis >= 24 months prior to registration
Prior exposure to ibrutinib or to a BCR inhibitor (e.g. Btk or PI3 kinase or Syk inhibitors) or a BCL-2 inhibitor (e.g. venetoclax)
Known central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma or leukemia
Evidence of progressive marrow failure as manifested by the development of or worsening anemia (=< 11 g/dL) and/or thrombocytopenia (=< 100 x 10^9/L) not due to autoimmune disease