title: Response to recombinant interferon alpha in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in a single center: results and analysis of predictive factors.
abstract: To improve the management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in a single center, we used interferon alpha (IFN alpha) to treat newly diagnosed CML patients and investigated the factors predictive of a major cytogenetic response. Fifty-two patients (pts) with a median age of 51.5 years (16-68), were given interferon alpha (IFN alpha) (5 millions/m2/day, subcutaneously). The median interval between diagnosis and IFN alpha was 41.5 days (0-160). The doses of INF alpha were adjusted to maintain the white blood cell (WBC) count between 1.5 and 5 x 10(9)/l and the platelet count between 50 and 100 x 10(9)/l. At diagnosis, Sokal's criteria were used to classify patients into three groups: low (n = 24), intermediate (n = 19) and high risk (n = 9). A complete hematological response (CHR) was achieved in 42 cases (80.7%). A partial response was present in nine; only one patient did not respond. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the age at diagnosis was found to influence the CHR rate (P = 0.06). Cytogenetic response was evaluated in 46 responder patients. Twenty-three patients achieved a major cytogenetic response (MCR) which was either partial ( > or = 65% pH negative cells) (n = 3) or complete (CCR) (n = 20). By univariate analysis, two disease-related variables were found to influence the MCR rate in 40 evaluable CHR patients: spleen size at diagnosis and peripheral blood blast percentage. However, using either univariate or multivariate analysis, the most significant factor was the achievement of CHR within 3 months (P < 0.0004 and P < 0.0002, respectively). These results show that IFN alpha can induce high rates of hematological and cytogenetic responses when administered in doses leading to myelosuppression. The achievement of CHR within 3 months could be useful to identify early, those patients who will not respond to IFN alpha and who need alternative treatments such as allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Service des malades du sang, CHU Bordeaux, Pessac, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montastruc
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Mahon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabères
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marit
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bilhou-Nabera
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cony-Makhoul
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puntous
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pigneux
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boiron
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins