title: Management of chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase with autologous stem cell transplantation and alpha-2 interferon: cytogenetic and clinical results.
abstract: Forty-eight patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP) were treated by autologous stem cells transplantation (ASCT) and alpha Interferon (IFN) with three approaches: 1) ASCT at diagnosis followed by IFN, 2) ASCT post IFN with cells collected after an interval from IFN discontinuance, followed by IFN, 3) ASCT in patients selected by cytoconversion obtained with IFN, performed soon after IFN discontinuance. Following ASCT, a major karyotype response (more than 65% Ph1 negative cells, MKR) was observed at least once in 40%, 53% and 83% of patients from the three groups, respectively. At last follow-ups (median 39, 40 and 21 months, respectively) 19%, 13% and 67% of patients still present a MKR with 2 patients from group 1 and 4 patients from group 3 being 100% Ph' negative. Projected survival from diagnosis is 77% at 52 months for patients from group 1 and 47% at 75 months for patients from group 2. Present data indicate that 1) IFN can stabilize results obtained with ASCT, 2) ASCT can potentiate responses to IFN, 3) combined ASCT and IFN can improve survival. Longer follow-up of patients and randomized studies are required to define the real impact on disease outcome by these treatment approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biopathology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alimena
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Cuia
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rondinelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lo Coco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montefusco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cedrone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D016465:Bone Marrow Purging; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007621:Karyotyping; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015466:Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006918:Hydroxyurea