Effect of alpha-interferon therapy on bone marrow fibrosis in hairy cell
leukemia
M Laughlin, A Islam, M Barcos, P Meade, H Ozer, M Gavigan, E Henderson and T Han
Department of Medical Oncology, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo,
NY 14202.
Iliac crest trephine biopsy specimens from 16 patients treated with
recombinant alpha 2-interferon (alpha-IFN) for hairy cell leukemia (HCL)
were examined for reticulin and collagen content. These data were compared
with the hairy cell index (HCl), the proportion of hairy cells to the
overall cellularity of the bone marrow. Specimens were studied immediately
before alpha-IFN therapy, at 6-month intervals during, and in six patients
6 months after cessation of therapy. All patients presented with increased
bone marrow fibrosis ranging from focally increased reticulin to a diffuse
increase in both reticulin and collagen content. This fibrosis was observed
to decrease during alpha- IFN therapy inasmuch as the hairy cell population
was diminished in the bone marrow in 13 patients. Regression analysis of
HCl v bone marrow fibrosis showed a positive correlation (r = .73, P less
than .02). Six patients demonstrated a reduction in bone marrow reticulin
and collagen to normal levels during alpha-IFN therapy. Two of six patients
demonstrated increased bone marrow fibrosis and HCl 6 months after
cessation of alpha-IFN therapy. Three of 16 patients exhibited no decrease
in bone marrow reticulin content during therapy despite a decreased bone
marrow hairy cell population.
Volume 72,
Issue 3,
pp. 936-939,
09/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
