[Alpha-interferons in the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia]

Chronic disease duration and survival have been investigated in three groups of patients suffering chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The first group included 13 patients on alpha-interferons 6-9 mln MU/24 h (mean dose--48 mln MU/week). 31 patients received 2 mln MU/m2/24 h; mean weekly dose--15 x 10(6) MU. Standard chemotherapy was given to another 79 patients (group III). Actual survival and chronic disease duration were computed after Kaplan-Meyer: 4-year survival in group I--88%; group II--85.6% and group III--54%. Five-year survival in patients who had received standard or lower doses of alpha-interferon was 78.7%; chemotherapy alone--28.9%. Median survival in alpha-interferon-treated patients was 66 months; chemotherapy--48 months. After standard alpha-interferon, chronic disease three years after CML diagnosis was in 87% of those treated with standard alpha-interferon, 89% of those receiving lower doses of the drug and 53.4% of chemotherapy-treated patients. After 4 years, chronic disease was registered in 75.5% (alpha-interferon)--74.8% in group I and 72.9% in group II, and in 34.4% of patients treated with myelosan or hydroxyurea. Median chronic stage duration after interferon was 51 months and 39 months in group III, hence, both standard and lower doses of alpha-interferon prolong chronic disease and improve survival in CML patients.