[Treatment of essential thrombocythemia--personal experience]

The present paper summarizes 13-years our center's experience in the treatment of essential thrombocythemia (ET). We analyzed a group of 36 patients treated with busulphan (Bu), 16 with hydroxyurea (HU) and 4 with interferon alpha (INF alpha). The results of therapy were assessed using proposed self-defined criteria of ET remission. The remission of ET was achieved in 75% of the patients treated with Bu and 57% treated with HU followed for at least 2 years. In the INF alpha treated group cytoreduction was achieved only in patients in whom initial dose of INF alpha was 6 mln I.U. per day. HU seems to be the drug of choice in younger patients because of possible mutagenic effect of Bu as well as in those, in whom Bu was administered in high total dose. During the cytoreductive or maintenance therapy with HU the blood morphology should be often controlled because of relatively high frequency (40%) of leukopenia. In each case of ET cytogenetic examination is necessary. Ph-positive ET determine the choice of the treatment.