RESPONSE TO 2'-DEOXYCOFORMYCIN AFTER FAILURE OF INTERFERON-ALPHA IN NONSPLENECTOMIZED PATIENTS WITH HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA

  • 1 July 1986
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 68  (1) , 297-300
Abstract
Two patients with hairy cell leukemia with massive splenomegaly and severe pancytopenia were treated with recombinant .alpha.-A interferon (INF-.alpha.-2a). There was no significant response to a trial of IFN-.alpha.-2a (11 and 20 weeks) with respect to blood counts or spleen size. Subsequent treatment with 2''-deoxycoformycin (dCF) for 8 consecutive weeks (4 mg/m2/wk) resulted in normalization of spleen size and a normalization of peripheral blood counts and bone marrow in one patient. The second patient demonstrated a reduction in spleen size and improved blood counts following 9 weeks of dCF therapy but eventually became refractory. This demonstrates that dCF is non-cross-resistant with interferon and confirms the efficacy of dCF in nonsplenectomized patients.