The treatment of hairy cell leukemia with recombinant alfa interferon: a multi-institutional study.

This report expands on previous work with interferon alfa-2b (Intron A; Schering-Plough) in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia (HCL). Sixty-four patients were treated, with 89% achieving a response (either CR, PR or MR). The percentage of hairy cells in the peripheral blood decreased dramatically within one month and in the marrow, progressively over nine months. Normalization of blood counts was associated with a marked decline in serious infections and in the need for red cell or platelet transfusions. Preliminary results with a further group of patients confirm these satisfactory results.