PREVENTION OF SEVERE HEPATIC-INJURY BY INTERFERON-ALPHA IN CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS LACKING HBEAG (MUTANT STRAIN) IN A PATIENT WITH MALIGNANT-LYMPHOMA

Multidrug chemotherapy with concomitant interferon (IFN)-alpha was per formed in a patient with chronic hepatitis lacking the hepatitis Be an tigen and malignant lymphoma (ML). Levels of trans-aminases and DNA po lymerase (DNA-P) values increased after the fifth course of chemothera py. Therapy with IFN-alpha for 9 weeks induced a omission in liver dis ease and complete remission of ML was obtained with subsequent chemoth erapy. It was possible to prevent severe liver damage by administering IFN immediately after the elevation of DNA-P. Early introduction of I FN may be effective in the prevention of fulminant hepatic failure fro m hepatitis from a precore mutant after chemotherapy. Published by Els evier Science Ireland Ltd.