THE TREATMENT OF PH-POSITIVE CHRONIC MYEL OID-LEUKEMIA WITH THE IFN-ALPHA DRUGS (INTRON-A, SHERING-PLOW, REAFERON, RUSSIA) IN COMBINATION WITH CHEMOTHERAPY

The results of treatment of 112 patients with Ph-positive chronic myel oid leukemia (CML) in the Hematological Research Center in 1987-1995 a re presented. 50 patients received prolonged treatment with IFN-alpha preparations in combination with monochemotherapy (myelosan, hydroxyur ea) or with the courses of polychemotherapy (''7+3'', AVAM). The contr ol group of 62 patients received the same treatment but without IFN-al pha. The IFN-alpha preparations (introne-A, Shering Plough; reaferon, Russia) were used subcutaneously in daily doses 2-4x10(6) M E/m(2) as 10-week courses. Good tolerance of the combined treatment (IFN-alpha & chemotherapy) is shown. We revealed the dependence of the frequency o f hematological remissions upon the risk group. We found no cytogeneti c response in the high risk group in comparison with the initial one. The estimation of the clinical effectiveness showed the increased surv ival in all risk categories when IFN-alpha was used in the treatment p rogram in comparison with control group patients. We conclude that it is necessary to use higher doses of IFN-alpha to increase the frequenc y of the cytogenetic responses that will demand greater financial supp ort for the CML treatment programs.