title: Immune thrombocytopenia following alpha-interferon therapy in patients with cancer.
abstract: Immune thrombocytopenia occurred in five patients with cancer receiving alpha-interferon. The median pretreatment platelet count was 217,000/cu mm, which fell to a median of 12,000/cu mm after a median of 25 days of interferon therapy. All had normal numbers of megakaryocytes, with dysplasia noted in three; all four who were tested had platelet-associated immunoglobulin. All had normalization of platelet counts with prednisone therapy. Four tolerated re-treatment with interferon, two with concurrent prednisone administration and two others following splenectomy. Immune thrombocytopenia should be considered in patients who become thrombocytopenic during interferon therapy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013156:Splenectomy; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011241:Prednisone