title: Interferon alpha 2b as maintenance therapy in low grade malignant lymphoma improves duration of remission and survival.
abstract: We assessed the efficacy and toxicity of interferon alpha 2b (IFN) as maintenance therapy in patients with low grade malignant lymphoma. Between March 1986 and December 1989, 98 patients with low-grade malignant lymphoma in complete remission after conventional chemotherapy were randomly assigned to received IFN, 5.0 MU three times a week for one year, as maintenance therapy (n = 48), or to receive no treatment (control group, n = 50). In March 1994, the median duration of response had not yet been reached in the patients treated with IFN compared to 46 months in the control group. At 9-years 62% of the patients in the IFN arm remain in first complete remission compared to only 25% in the control group (p <.001). In addition, the median duration of survival has not yet been reached in either the IFN arm compared to 74 months in the control group (p <.001). Quality of life was excellent in both groups and severe side effects secondary to IFN treatment were not observed. All patients completed the planned dose of IFN. We conclude that IFN as maintenance therapy in low-grade malignant lymphoma is an excellent therapeutic option because it improves the duration of remission and survival without producing severe side effects or reducing the quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Oncology Hospital, National Medical Center, Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aviles
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guzman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015993:Life Tables; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D001761:Bleomycin; D015251:Epirubicin; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone