Persisting bone marrow aplasia following interferon-alpha combined with ara-C for chronic myelogenous leukemia

A 37-year-old man with a newly diagnosed chronic myelogenous leukemia recei ved induction therapy with hydroxyurea and interferon-alpha, and maintenanc e therapy with low-dose ara-C and interferon-alpha. Subsequent to a rapid h ematological remission, a continuously aggravating pancytopenia with bone m arrow aplasia developed which persisted after withdrawal of maintenance the rapy. Bone marrow examination exhibited aplastic areas and residual hematop oiesis with impaired maturation; cytogenetically, there was a 100% persiste nce of Philadelphia chromosome-positive metaphases, By allogeneic bone marr ow transplantation, a complete reconstitution of hematopoiesis was achieved .