Effect of retinoic acid treatment on cytogenetic remission of chronic myeloid leukaemia

• Published in: Acta haematologica Vol. 109; no. 2; p. 84
• Main Authors: Egyed, Miklós, Kollár, Balázs, Rumi, György, Keller, Eva, Vass, János, Fekete, Sándorné
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01.01.2003
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Cytogenetic Analysis; Female; Humans; Interferon-alpha - administration & dosage; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - drug therapy; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - genetics; Male; Middle Aged; Recombinant Proteins; Recurrence; Remission Induction; Tretinoin - administration & dosage; Tretinoin - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0001-5792
• DOI: 10.1159/000068494

The cytogenetic responses during the first chronic phase of 11 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) + interferon (IFN) were compared with those of 9 other CML patients treated with IFN alone. Metaphase and interphase cytogenetics and a semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate the cytogenetic responses. Two of the 11 patients in the ATRA + IFN group were withdrawn, one of them because of IFN intolerance, and the other because of non-compliance. Of the 9 remaining ATRA + IFN-treated patients 6 exhibited major cytogenetic responses, 3 of which were complete. Of the 9 patients treated with IFN alone, only 2 showed major cytogenetic responses. No severe adverse effects were observed. The preliminary results suggest that the ATRA + IFN combination may be superior in achieving cytogenetic remission in the first chronic phase of CML.