Efficacy of alpha interferon and hydroxyurea in late phase refractory myeloproliferative disease

Three patients are described with late-stage myeloproliferative diseases, two with accelerated phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and one with refractory polycythemia vera (P vera), who achieved hematologic control after the addition of interferon (IFN) to hydroxyurea therapy. Both the CML patients continue to have a sustained clinical remission at 12 and 38 months. The patient with P vera had failed several previous treatments including busulfan, P32, hydroxyurea, and anagrelide, but became responsive after interferon use followed by reintroduction of hydroxyurea. Our observations support the efficacy of IFN alpha and hydroxyurea combination in late-phase myeloproliferative disease and warrants further clinical investigation.