LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS WITH HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA AFTER TREATMENT WITH 2'-DEOXYCOFORMYCIN

Twenty-four patients with advanced hairy cell leukemia treated with 2' -deoxycoformycin (dCF) were studied after achieving complete remission to determine the impact of treatment on survival, disease-free surviv al, long-term complications of treatment, and response to retreatment. At a median follow-up time of 82 months (range, 54 to 104 months), 23 of 24 patients remain alive. One patient has died of recurrent diseas e refractory to treatment. Of the remaining 23 patients, 11 have relap sed at a median time of 30 months (range, 7 to 80 months) after treatm ent completion. Of these 11 patients, 7 have been retreated with dCF o r 2'-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), including one patient that was retr eated twice. All seven patients have responded, with five patients ach ieving second complete remission. Two patients have had normalization of blood cell counts, but repeat bone marrows have not been performed. No serious infections have been seen in dCf-treated patients during f ollow-up. One case of Hodgkin's disease and three cases of skin malign ancies have developed in these 24 patients. From initiation of treatme nt, survival is 93 months (range, 63 to 116 months). We concluded that dCF significantly prolongs the survival of patients with advanced hai ry cell leukemia without resultant long-term complications. It is too early to predict if this therapy will be curative for the patients sti ll in remission. (C) 1994 by The American Society of Hematology.