부산대학교 도서관

Summary Eighty-five patients with hairy-cell leukemia were treated in a multicentric “open label” study with IFN-a2b and evaluated. Induction therapy was 2 × 106 U IFN-a2b/m2, 3 times a week, s.c. The results show this regimen to be highly effective with only a few tolerable and transient side effects consisting mainly of flu-like symptoms. After 6 months of therapy 4% CR, 69% PR, and 16% MR, were noted. In a small group of four patients who had achieved CR or PR, we tested the effect of varying doses for maintenance therapy. Our preliminary results indicate that a relapse caused by interruption of IFN therapy or dose reduction to 3 × 106 U given once a week, o.c. could be successfully treated by readministration, or escalating the dosage of IFN. It seems that remission maintenance requires long-term treatment with IFN. In a short-term in vitro test we studied the effect of IFN-a2 on the incorporation of3H-thymidine and3H-uridine into hairy cells of five patients. Fort both precursors no appreciable effect was detected. However, after prolonged incubation for 48 h, a significant enhancement of3H-uridine incorporation was observed, while3H-thymidine incorporation remained unaffected. Cell marker analysis performed with monoclonal antibodies before and after incubation of hairy cells with IFN-a2 for up to 7 days did not reveal any change of the phenotype of hairy cells.