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Australian Leukaemia Study Group Myeloma II: a randomized trial of intensive combination chemotherapy with or without interferon in patients with myeloma
Author(s) -
Joshua Douglas E.,
Penny Ron,
Matthews Jane P.,
Laidlaw Christine R.,
Gibson John,
Bradstock Ken,
Wolf Max,
Goldstein David
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1997.9942643.x
Subject(s) - multiple myeloma , medicine , chemotherapy , oncology , randomized controlled trial
The Australian Leukaemia Study Group has performed a randomized trial of interferon α‐2A (Roferon‐A) as a co‐induction agent together with intensive combination chemotherapy and as maintenance following completion of 12 cycles of induction treatment. When used as a co‐induction agent, interferon‐α did not improve response rates, time‐to‐treatment failure, or overall survival. Patients who had interferon together with intensive combination therapy (PCAB: prednisone 60 mg/m 2 days 1–5, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m 2 day 1, BCNU 30 mg/m 2 day 1, doxorubicin 30 mg/m 2 day 1, repeated every 28 d for a total of 12 cycles) had more leucocyte and granulocyte toxicity and received a lower dose intensive of cytotoxic drugs than those patients who received PCAB without interferon. There was a trend towards prolongation of plateau phase which did not reach significance. Interferon, however, did improve the survival of patients who achieved plateau; for those patients interferon was associated with a 33% decrease in the rate of death after adjusting for initial beta‐2 microglobulin level.