title: Recombinant alpha-interferon therapy in multiple myeloma.
abstract: Three patients with multiple myeloma were treated with recombinant alpha-interferon (r IFN-alpha 2b Intron AR) along with combination chemotherapy i.e. melphelan and prednisolone. In one case it was given as an initial therapy, while the other two patients had refractory and relapsing disease respectively. IFN-alpha 2b was given in the dose of 2 x 10(6) Mu/m2 by subcutaneous injection thrice in a week for six months in two patients and for three months in one patient. All three patients experienced improvement in bone pains; partial response with reduction in the paraprotein level was seen in one patient; while there was no radiological, biochemical or haematological improvement in two patients. Side effects noted were flu like syndrome in all three patients and urticaria in one patient. They were treated symptomatically and did not require cessation of interferon therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute, India.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Talati
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins