title: Cytogenetic conversion in a case of polycythaemia vera treated with interferon-alpha.
abstract: Polycythaemia vera is a clonal disorder of the haemopoietic stem cell causing a pathologic expansion of the erythroid and sometimes the megakaryocytic and myeloid elements. In order to avoid the possible mutagenic effects of radioactive phosphorus, alkylating agents and hydroxyurea, since 1988 alpha-IFN has been used for the treatment of PV and has been shown to induce and maintain haematological remission. We describe a 24-year-old PV patient with chromosomal abnormalities who achieved not only a reduction of the proliferation of erythroid elements and reticulin content in the bone marrow, but also a complete cytogenetic remission after IFN treatment.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica II, Università di Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Messora
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bensi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giacobbi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Temperani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bevini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Emilia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sacchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha