title: The natural history of chronic myelogenous leukemia in the interferon era.
abstract: INF-alpha therapy has been a major development in the treatment of CML. Maturing experience has confirmed its ability to induce durable major cytogenetic remissions, which translate into durable long-term disease control, and change in the natural history of the disease. Future studies aimed at improving the percentage and quality of cytogenetic remissions by combining INF-alpha therapy with other chemotherapeutic agents and/or biologicals are needed. The goal would be to identify strategies that can consistently achieve a major cytogenetic response rate of 40% to 50% in the general community setting with acceptable morbidity. Continued studies of the interactions between INF -alpha therapy and transplant strategies will permit the optimization of treatment for each individual patient with CML.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giralt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kantarjian
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talpaz
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha