Treatment of leukemia relapse after bone marrow transplantation with interferon-alpha and interleukin 2

Bone Marrow Transplant. 1995 Feb;15(2):317-9.

Abstract

A 16-year-old girl with refractory AML received unmanipulated BMT from an unrelated donor. Leukemia relapse occurred 82 days later. The patient was then treated with IL-2 1.8 x 10(6) U/m2 for 5 days per week and 2.5 MU/m2 IFN-alpha three times per week. Toxicities included fever, skin rash, somnolence and a generalized seizure. Treatment was stopped after 2 weeks. Acute GVHD developed at the end of therapy and the patient's leukemia went into remission. She died of fungal pneumonia 30 days later. We conclude that a combination of cytokines may be useful in treating relapsed leukemia after BMT.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Interleukin-2 / therapeutic use*
  • Leukemia / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia / mortality
  • Leukemia / surgery
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • Interferon-alpha
  • Interleukin-2