[alpha 2-interferon: preliminary treatment results in chronic myeloid leukemia]

Interferon (IFN-alpha 2 B) was administered to 21 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), at an initial dose of 4 X 10(6) IU/m2 daily subcutaneously, adapted to changes in leukocyte count in the course of treatment. Of 16 patients that could be fully evaluated (12 males, 4 females; aged 21-64 years), 15 were in the chronic phase, one had a blast crisis. "Haematological remission" was achieved in nine of the 16 patients, while in the remainder, with one exception, transitory reduction in leukocyte count was obtained. With pretreatment counts of 18-151 X 10(9)/l, normalization to 2.7-6.9 X 10(9)/l was achieved in 13 patients after 3-40 weeks. In parallel to these effects there was a decrease in platelet count (before treatment 86-1550 X 10(9)/l to 30-279 X 10(9)/l after an average of six weeks) and in lactate dehydrogenase (initially 220-958 U/l to 87-232 U/l after 3-33 weeks). A reduction in Philadelphia chromosome-positive metaphases by as much as 50% was observed in four of eight patients. Administration of IFN-alpha 2 B achieved a relatively rapid cell reduction in the chronic phase of CML. The long-term effect on the course of the disease and the place of IFN in the overall concept of CML treatment remains unanswered.