EFFECT OF ALPHA-IFN ON UNAGGRESSIVE IMMUNOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDERS

Background alpha-IFN is reported to be an effective treatment for a nu mber of lymphoproliferative diseases. Little information is available at present on its effect in unaggressive immunoproliferative disorders . Study design and results. In a prospective non randomized study, 57 patients with IgG or IgA MGUS, smouldering myeloma or stage I MM treat ed with alpha-IFN (3 MU 3 times a week for at least 6 months) were com pared to 129 untreated similar patients. Four patients in the IFN grou p showed a monoclonal component reduction >50% versus none in the cont rol group, and 25% of patients suffered disease progression (MC increa se >50% and/or osteolytic lesions) in the IFN group as compared to 18% in the control group. Conclusions. alpha-IFN administration at the do se used is ineffective for the majority of patients with slowly prolif erating immunoproliferative disorders; only a small subgroup of them m ay benefit from such a treatment.