Hairy-Cell Leukemia

To the Editor: Spiers et al. (April 2 issue) 1 reported impressive response rates in hairy-cell leukemia treated with pentostatin (2′-deoxycoformycin). Pentostatin is an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase in the pathway of purine metabolism. The authors point out that inhibition of adenosine deaminase...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe New England journal of medicine Vol. 317; no. 14; pp. 901 - 902
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Massachusetts Medical Society 01.10.1987
Subjects
Coformycin - analogs & derivatives
Coformycin - therapeutic use
Humans
Interferon Type I - therapeutic use
Leukemia, Hairy Cell - therapy
Pentostatin
Splenectomy
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Summary:To the Editor: Spiers et al. (April 2 issue) 1 reported impressive response rates in hairy-cell leukemia treated with pentostatin (2′-deoxycoformycin). Pentostatin is an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase in the pathway of purine metabolism. The authors point out that inhibition of adenosine deaminase leads to accumulation of deoxyadenosine and deoxy-ATP, both of which interfere with DNA synthesis. The malignant cell in hairy-cell leukemia contains low levels of adenosine deaminase and is sensitive to pentostatin. All the patients in this study also received allopurinol to prevent excessive uric acid formation. The authors did not, however, discuss the possible role of allopurinol in . . . No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words.
ISSN:0028-4793
1533-4406
DOI:10.1056/NEJM198710013171414