[Chronic myelocytic leukemia induced into remission by interferon-alpha associated with early esophageal cancer]

A fifty-one-year-old male patient visited the Department of Dermatology of Toho University Ohashi Hospital with a complaint of generalized exanthema, which was diagnosed assyringoma; at that time his leukocytosis was recognized. He was admitted to our department on August 8, 1988. Physical examination on admission revealed slight hepatosplenomegaly. WBC count was elevated (50,700/microliters). He was diagnosed as having Ph1-positive CML in the chronic phase and was treated with IFN-alpha (HLBI, Sumitomo, 3 x 10(6) units/day, daily, I. M.) from August 12, but an elevated lesion was detected at the lower part of his esophagus by endoscopy, and it was diagnosed by biopsy as squamous cell carcinoma. Radical operation for esophageal cancer was performed on September 26; at that time his WBC count was 17,400/microliters. After discharge, his WBC level was maintained within normal range by IFN-alpha. On August 2, 1989, he was readmitted to our hospital because of lymphoblastic crisis. Although he attained transient complete remission, he died of pneumonia after the relapse on January 10, 1990. IFN-alpha therapy is suggested to be useful for the treatment of CML associated with gastrointestinal cancer because of its possible parenteral administration and mild toxicity.