title: Durable molecular complete remission induced by low-dose imatinib plus low-dose interferon alpha in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia.
abstract: A 50-year-old male was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) in chronic phase in March 2000. He was treated initially with hydroxyurea, administered orally. This was changed to interferon alpha (IFN) 5 million units (5 MIU) subcutaneously daily in May 2000; complete cytogenetic response was achieved 11 months later. IFN dosage was reduced to 5 MIU, alternate days, in June 2001 and a cytogenetic relapse occurred 3 months later. Since April 2002, he has received IFN 5 MIU three times weekly in combination with imatinib 200 mg/day. The Philadelphia chromosome disappeared from his peripheral blood cells in July 2002 and a complete molecular response was achieved in January 2003. Serial molecular studies between January 2004 and January 2005 showed no detectable major BCR/ABL chimeric transcript. Grade 2 neutropenia and grade 1 non-haematological adverse effects have been observed. This case report suggests the combination of low-dose imatinib and IFN would be tolerable and effective for CML patients in chronic phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Rheumatology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. jintake@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hatta
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sawada
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007621:Karyotyping; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010677:Philadelphia Chromosome; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate