The Hematologic and Cytogenetic Response the Treated Patients ChronicMyeloic Leukaemia

Overview

Background.
The Interferon alpha therapy increases the number of cytogenetic responses in patients with chronicmyeloic leukaemia. The addition of cytarabine can reduce the number of Ph positive metaphases. The achievementof cytogenetic response is connected with longer survival of patients with chronic myeloic leukaemia. The aim ofthe study was the evaluation of the achievement of hematologic and cytogenetic response as well as adverse effectsof the treatment in chronic myeloic leukaemia patients.Methods and Results. The followed was the group of 87 previously untreated CML Ph positive patients.34 patients with the median age of 44.6 years were treated with hydroxyurea, 42 patients were treated with singleinterferon alpha and 11 patients with the median age of 41.3 years with the combined interferon plus cytarabinetherapy. The complete hematologic remission occurred in only 17.5% of patients treated with hydroxyurea, but in35.7% treated with interferon and in 54.5% patients treated with the combined therapy. The cytogenetic responsewe have not found in any of hydroxyurea treated patients, in the group of interferon alpha in 38%. The highestnumber of cytogenetic responses was in the group treated with interferon plus cytarabine. As we have expected, theaddition of cytarabine increased hematotoxicity and gastrotoxicity.Conclusion. Based on the published date, that show a better survival of patients with the achieved cytogeneticresponse as well as the higher number of cytogenetic responses in the group of interferon plus cytarabine therapyfrom our observation, we believe, that combined therapy should be suitable as a front-line therapy of chronic myeloicleukaemia patients.

Key words:
chronic myeloic leukaemia, interferon, cytarabine, cytogenetic response.