2-CHLORODEOXYADENOSINE IN THE TREATMENT OF HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA - DIFFERENCES IN RESPONSE IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT ABDOMINAL LYMPHADENOPATHY

We treated 26 patients with hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) with 2-chlorode oxyadenosine, including nine with abdominal lymphadenopathy and of who m two had HCL-variant; 18 were previously treated, The overall respons e in 23 evaluable HCL patients was 100% with 87% complete remission (C R), The CR rate was 57% in patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy, Ne ither of the patients with HCL-variant achieved CR, Of four patients w ho had become refractory to 2'-deoxycoformycin, two achieved CR and on e partial remission (PR). The lower response in HCL with abdominal lym phadenopathy supports the view that this represents a more resistant f orm of the disease.