Intermittent alpha interferon in hairy cell leukemia

Objective. To evaluate if short and intermittent courses of human recombinat interferon alpha (IFN) are useful in the long term palliation of hairy cell leukemia. Methods. Nine patients with hairy cell leukemia received 3 megaunits of IFN thrice a week for 12 weeks. They received 8 weeks of IFN upon relapse or after 10 months of followup every year. Results. A hematological remission was obtained in all cases before 12 weeks. Only three patients, because of relapse, required therapy before 10 months. Ail the patients are alive and well after a median followup of 62 months. Conclusions. Short courses of IFN proved to be an alternative in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia. It is less expensive and was effective in the initial therapy and maintenance of selected patients with this kind of leukemia.