title: Phase I-II study of recombinant alpha-2 interferon against advanced leukemia and lymphoma in children.
abstract: Alpha-2 interferon, produced in Escherichia coli using recombinant DNA techniques, was administered to 17 children with refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in relapse, two children with TdT-positive, Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) in blast crisis, and one child with B cell (SIg+) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in a second extramedullary relapse. An initial 2-week intravenous (IV) phase of interferon was followed by a 3-month subcutaneous (SC) maintenance phase if patients had an objective response or disease stabilization without significant bleeding or infectious complications. When interferon dosages were escalated from 3 to 100 X 10(6) U/m2 in the first phase of therapy, there was rapid progression of disease in the first four patients treated, prompting a modification of the treatment plan. The last 16 patients enrolled received fixed dosages of interferon (ie, 10, 20, 30, and 50 X 10(6) U/m2 administered to four subjects each). One child with T cell ALL had an 11-month complete remission; the patient with lymphoma had a dramatic but brief response; three others (one CML and two ALL) showed disease stabilization for 3 to 6 months with a definite oncolytic effect in two of the three patients. The remaining 15 patients had progressive disease within 2 months and were removed from the study. Acute toxicity included a flu-like syndrome in all patients, increased serum transaminase levels in five, seizures in three (two cases temporally related to fever and one to a thrombocytopenic subarachnoid hemorrhage), and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times in seven. This phase I-II trial of recombinant alpha-2 interferon demonstrated definite activity without dose-limiting toxicity.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ochs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abromowitch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rudnick
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D007370:Interferon Type I