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Previous Volume 332:1744-1748 June 29, 1995 Number 26 Next

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ABSTRACT

Background Infection with the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I, a retrovirus, can cause a distinctive cancer, adult T-cell leukemia–lymphoma. The median survival of patients with the acute and lymphomatous forms of the disease is short, despite the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Methods We treated 19 patients with acute or lymphomatous forms of adult T-cell leukemia–lymphoma with oral zidovudine (200 mg five times daily) and interferon alfa (Intron A, 5 million to 10 million units subcutaneously each day). Seven of these patients had either relapsed after multiagent cytotoxic chemotherapy or failed to respond to that treatment.

Results Major responses were achieved in 58 percent of the patients (11 of 19), including complete remission in 26 percent (5 of 19). Four patients in whom prior cytotoxic therapy had failed had major responses, two of which were complete remissions. Six patients have survived for more than 12 months, with the longest remission since the discontinuation of treatment lasting more than 59 months.

Conclusions The combination of zidovudine and interferon alfa has activity against adult T-cell leukemia–lymphoma, even in patients in whom prior cytotoxic therapy has failed. This regimen should be evaluated further for its role in the treatment of adult T-cell leukemia–lymphoma.

Source Information

From the Departments of Internal Medicine (P.S.G., H.A.L., B.M.E., A.M.L.) and Preventive Medicine (M.C.P.), University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles; the University of Miami, Miami (W.H., L.C.); the Department of Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, N.Y. (M.H.K., S.A.); the Departments of Hematology–Oncology and Pediatrics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee, Memphis (R.C.R.); the Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, N.Y. (J.M.B.); the Department of Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Sunset Hospital, Los Angeles (M.B.-S.); and the Division of Medicine, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (S.K.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Gill at the University of Southern California, Norris Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 162, Los Angeles, CA 90033.

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Interferon Alfa and Zidovudine in Adult T-Cell Leukemia–Lymphoma
Tobinai K., Kobayashi Y., Shimoyama M., The Lymphoma Study Group of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group , Pagano J. S., Gill P. S., Harrington W., Levine A. M.
Extract | Full Text  
N Engl J Med 1995; 333:1285-1286, Nov 9, 1995. Correspondence

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