title: Interferon-alpha as maintenance therapy in patients with multiple myeloma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of interferon-alpha 2b (IFN-alpha-2b) on progression-free and overall survival as well as quality of life (QoL) was studied in mainly elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM), who reached a plateau phase after melphalan/prednisone induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an open phase III trial, 262 patients, median age 69 years (range 34-91), received at least 10 monthly courses of melphalan/prednisone followed by response evaluation. Plateau phase was reached by 128 patients. Next, 90 patients were randomized between IFN-alpha-2b and no maintenance therapy. Reasons for non-randomization were: refusal (18), concomitant disease (nine), protocol violation (six), WHO performance status >2 (four) and allogeneic transplantation (one)
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a median follow-up from diagnosis of 97 months (0-140) for those patients alive, IFN-alpha-2b therapy was associated with improved progression-free survival (median 13.5 versus 8.4 months from randomization), although this did not translate in a better overall survival (41 versus 38.4 months). One-third of patients discontinued IFN-alpha due to toxicity. No differences were observed between patient groups in QoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN maintenance therapy in MM prolongs progression-free survival and, provided that the burden of toxicity is not too high, does not adversely affect QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gelre Hospitals, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. c.schaar@gelre.nl
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Schaar
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kluin-Nelemans
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Te Marvelde
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: le Cessie
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Breed
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Fibbe
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Deijk
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fickers
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Roozendaal
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wijermans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins