title: Continuous complete hematological and cytogenetic remission with molecular minimal residual disease 9 years after discontinuation of interferon-alpha in a patient with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.
abstract: Interferon-alpha has been used as standard therapy for patients with Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) for more than 20 years. Recently randomized trials have shown a superiority of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib in respect to its efficacy to induce complete hematological and cytogenetic remissions and more importantly in overall survival. Although follow-up is much shorter for imatinib than for interferon-alpha, this data changed the treatment algorithms in this disease. At the end of the era of interferon-alpha as a single-drug first-line treatment for most patients we present a case report which exemplifies a rare but exciting property of interferon-alpha in CML: the induction of complete hematological and cytogenetic remissions which can persist over years after discontinuation of the drug. Hence, the enrollment of CML patients in clinical trials which explore a combination treatment of imatinib and interferon-alpha is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik I, Maria Hilf Kliniken GmbH, Mönchengladbach, Germany. verbeekw@mariahilf.de
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kohl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heuer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheibenbogen
authors.forename: H-E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hochhaus
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Graeven
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha