alpha IFN-induced hematologic and cytogenetic remission in chronic eosinophilic leukemia with t(1;5)

Chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL) is a myeloproliferative disease charact erized by excessive eosinophilic proliferation with clonal cytogenetic abno rmalities. The most frequent cytogenetic abnormality is a break in the q 31 -35 region of chromosome 5, where genes encoding for IL-3, IL-5 and GM-CSF (all cytokines involved in eosinophilopoiesis) are located, We report the c ase of a patient with CEL with t(1;5) (q23;q31), who obtained complete hema tologic and major cytogenetic response after two years of alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) therapy, Two other cases of complete response to alpha-IFN are reported in the literature. A trial with alpha-IFN could be considered as f ront line treatment in this rare disease, (C) 1999, Ferrata Storti Foundati on.