Long-term effect of interferon-α combined with homoharringtonine on chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of interferon-α (IFN-α) combined with homoharringtonine (HHT) in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), an IFN-α combined with HHT scheme was used as induction and maintenance therapy for 42 patients with CML in chronic phase. Thirty-five patients treated with IFN-α alone were used as the control group. It was found that the cytogenetic response rate and estimated 2-year survival rate were higher in the IFN-α + HHT group than in the IFN-α group (52.4% vs. 28.6% and 90% vs. 73%, respectively). No grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicity, severe infections, hemorrhage or non-hematological adverse reactions were observed. From this research it can be concluded that an IFN-α combined with HHT scheme is safe and effective for CML induction and long-term maintenance therapy. It may be a good choice for patients with CML who cannot accept a hematopoietic stem cell transplant and imatinib or who fail IFN-α therapy.

Keywords::

• Chronic myelogenous leukemia
• interferon-α
• homoharringtonine
• cytogenetic response

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Guangfa Zhang (Huai'an Teachers’ College) for assistance with the language and grammar of this manuscript.

Potential conflict of interest

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.