title: Pentostatin induces durable remissions in hairy cell leukemia.
abstract: Fifty patients with hairy cell leukemia were treated with pentostatin (2'-deoxycoformycin; dCF) for a median of 3 months; 32 (64%) patients achieved complete remission (CR), and 10 (20%) patients achieved partial remission (PR), for an overall response rate of 84%. After reaching maximal response, no maintenance therapy was administered. The median duration of follow-up is now 39 months, and only four of 32 patients in CR and two of 10 patients in PR have relapsed. dCF therapy produces durable long-term, disease-free survival in patients with hairy cell leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cassileth
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheuvart
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Spiers
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Neiman
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'Connell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015649:Pentostatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015649:Pentostatin