[Long-term follow up of chronic myelogenous leukemia patients treated with natural interferon...

The effects on survival in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) treated with natural interferon alpha (Sumiferon) were analyzed. The subjects were 131 patients with CML who underwent treatment with Sumiferon between August 1991 and December 1992. Sumiferon was administered more than 8 weeks, and patients were followed for 5 years. In the end, 101 patients were analyzed after 30 patients were dropped from the study because they had received bone marrow transplantation. Survivals from the start of Sumiferon administration were 63.4% at 3 years, 52.5% at 4 years, and 42.6% at 5 years, respectively. Survivals were compared between the 74 patients who received Sumiferon administration with 1 year of diagnosis, and the 27 patients who received Sumiferon administration after more than 1 year from diagnosis. The 50% survivals were 2,089 days and 868 days, respectively (p = 0.0011). It was concluded that early administration of interferon alpha results in a prolonged survival of CML patients.