ALPHA-INTERFERON IN LOW-GRADE NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA

Incidence of non Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) has been increased regularl y during the last two decades. Overall survival did not progress at al l during this period. According to the results of preliminary studies, alpha interferon is an attractive approach for NHL treatment The revi ew analyze published randomized controlled trials which tested interfe ron alpha either in addition with polychemotherapy or as maintenance o f chemotherapy-induced response in disseminated low grade NHL. After l iterature search, nine studies have been included. interpretation of r esults was complicated by various patient's selection criteria (age, t umoral burden, histology) and heterogeneous treatment schemes (interfe ron schedule and dose, chemotherapy combination). Significant overall improvement was observed in two studies while only relapse free surviv al and time to treatment failure were improved in seven trials, always in interferon group. Significant observed toxicities were hematologic ones and asthenia since they led either to dose adjustment or to inte rferon interruption. Finally, we cannot recommend interferon we out of prospective trials. Further studies are warranted to confirm overall survival benefit and to define optimal strategy to use this molecule.