title: Alpha interferon treatment of patients with hairy-cell leukaemia.
abstract: We have treated 10 patients with hairy-cell, or hairy-cell-like leukaemia, for more than 6 months, with alpha interferon 3 X 10(6) IV/day I.M. or subcutaneously. All patients were severely pancytopenic before treatment. 7 patients had a typical hairy-cell leukaemia, whereas 3 lacked hairy cells but had the characteristic bone-marrow infiltration. The peripheral blood counts improved in all patients during treatment and the lymphoid infiltration of the bone-marrow was shown to decrease. 1 patient obtained complete remission, 6 partial remission and 3 had a minor response. It is concluded that alpha interferon is effective in the treatment of patients suffering from hairy-cell leukaemia.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055728:Primary Myelofibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I