[Hairy cell leukemia successfully treated with 2'-deoxycoformycin following refractoriness to splenectomy and...

A 34-year-old man was admitted in May, 1989 because of severe left upper abdominal pain, which was caused by advanced splenomegaly. On initial examinations, peripheral blood showed leukocytosis (13,400/ml) including 60% hairy cell which also infiltrated in bone marrow (64%). The patient was diagnosed as having hairy cell leukemia (Japanese type) of B-cell lineage. Splenectomy was performed as an initial treatment. The effect of splenectomy was only palliative and transient leukocytosis progressed thereafter. alpha-interferon and bestrabucil (KM 2210) were then adopted for 4 months respectively. The effects were, however, unsatisfactory. Subsequently the patient was treated successfully with 2'-deoxycoformycin (DCF). Complete remission was attained following 12 injections of 7.5 mg/body of DCF during 5 months and durable remission persists for more than 6 months without maintenance therapy. The side effect was minimum.