INTENSIVE TREATMENT IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE PH-POSITIVE CLONE IN CML

With the rationale that a significant reduction of the malignant clone in CML might prolong time to metamorphosis, intensive treatment was g iven to patients less than or equal to 55 years. Six months of hydroxy urea and high dose interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) was followed by one to three courses of intensive chemotherapy. Patients who had a donor wer e allotransplanted and patients who became Ph-negative in bone marrow were autotransplanted. On 1 May 1995, 160 patients were registered in the study. Fifty-one percent of the patients who received six months I FN-alpha and hydroxyurea had a significant Ph-reduction and 5% became Ph-negative. The corresponding figures after two intensive chemotherap y courses were 47 and 28%, respectively. Twenty-seven of 30 antotransp lanted patients have been analysed for Ph. Seventeen have relapsed cyt ogenetically, while ten are Ph-negative 1-64 + months after ABMT. BMT was performed in 59 patients. The actuarial 6-year survival from diagn osis of all 160 registered patients is 68%, which seems to be better t han for age-matched historical controls.