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Recombinant interferon‐α2A as maintenance treatment for patients with advanced stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia responding to chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Ferrara Felicetto,
Rametta Vincenzo,
Mele Giuseppina,
Antinolfi Iolanda,
Mettivier Vincenzo,
Cimino Renato
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830410109
Subject(s) - chemotherapy , medicine , maintenance therapy , chronic lymphocytic leukemia , interferon alfa , stage (stratigraphy) , incidence (geometry) , alpha interferon , leukemia , interferon , complete response , complete remission , oncology , gastroenterology , immunology , paleontology , physics , optics , biology
Forty‐five patients suffering from advanced B‐CLL were randomized to receive interferon‐α (IFNα) or no treatment after achieving complete remission or partial response, following a chemotherapy protocol called MINa. The two groups were fully comparable in terms of clinical characteristics and level of response obtained by chemotherapy. IFNα was given at a dose of 3 megaunits three times a week intramuscularly for 1 year. The IFN‐treated patient group showed a significantly longer duration of response and a less frequent incidence of infections as compared to the no treatment group. A minority of patients who had had partial response to chemotherapy obtained complete remission while on therapy with IFNα. Toxicity was mild and patient compliance was excellent. We conclude that IFNα may have a role as maintenance therapy in CLL for patients responding to chemotherapy. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.