Treatment of hairy-cell leukaemia with alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN)

Twenty-three patients with hairy-cell leukaemia (HCL), six of whom were previously splenectomized, were treated with alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) 3 MU per day for 3-6 months and then with 3 MU three times per week for at least 3 further months. Seven patients (two splenectomized) showed a complete response (CR), 11 patients achieved a partial response (PR) and the remaining five experienced only a minor response (MR). All seven patients who achieved a CR are still in CR after 10-21 months from the onset of the disease. Among the 11 PRs, five showed an increase in the number of circulating hairy cells during the follow-up; they were re-started on alpha-IFN and an improvement of the haematological values was again obtained. One patient who achieved only a MR died after 1 month therapy because of severe infection. Following treatment with alpha-IFN, the improvement or normalization of the peripheral blood counts was paralleled by an improvement of the immunologic surface markers, as determined by monoclonal antibodies, and by an improvement of the response to PHA and of the natural killer activity. These findings, coupled to the mild drug-related toxicity observed, confirm that treatment with alpha-IFN represents a safe and effective therapeutic approach for both splenectomized and non-splenectomized HCL patients.