Cytogenetic conversion in a case of polycythaemia vera treated with interferon-alpha.
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.
Messora
C
C
Istituto di Clinica Medica II, Università di Modena, Italy.
Bensi
L
L
Vecchi
A
A
Longo
R
R
Giacobbi
F
F
Temperani
P
P
Bevini
M
M
Emilia
G
G
Sacchi
S
S
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*
D016898:Interferon-alpha