title: [Molecular implication of Ph positive leukemias: treatment with alpha-interferon in Ph positive acute leukemia].
abstract: Patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute leukemia (Ph + AL) were treated with natural interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) after entering complete remission. In this study, subsequent cytogenetic analysis during complete remission in Ph + AL patients with major-BCR rearrangement revealed that the percentage of bone marrow cells with the Ph chromosome increased, while the bone marrow maintained a remission status. This cytogenetic-hematologic discrepancy led us to consider that the Ph + metaphases might be derived from cells with a non-lymphoid lineage rather than residual leukemic lymphoblasts. After administration of IFN-alpha, the percentage of bone marrow cells with a Ph chromosome decreased. Although this study is on going and we do not yet have the final results, treatment of IFN-alpha should be attempted on more patients with such a genetic abnormality.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical College.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ohyashiki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawakubo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohyashiki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyama
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha