XXXX and interferon-alpha: a study of complete cytogenetic responders.

@entity1 @entity137 @entity1862 @entity1860 @entity3027 @entity7634
Achieving a complete cytogenetic response (CCgR) is a major target in the treatment of @entity1860 ( @entity1860 ) with interferon-alpha ( @entity3027 ), but CCgRs are rare. The mean CCgR rate is 13%, in a range of 5% to 33%. A collaborative study of 9 European Union countries has led to the collection of data on 317 @entity1 who were first seen between 1983 and 1997 and achieved CCgRs with @entity3027 alone or in combination with @entity1862 . The median time to first CCgR was 19 months (95% CI, 17-21; range, 3-84 months). At last contact, 212 @entity1 were still alive and in continuous CCgR; 105 @entity1 had lost CCgR, but 53% of them were still alive and in chronic phase. @entity3027 treatment was discontinued permanently in 23 cases for response loss, in 36 cases for chronic @entity137 (15 are still in unmaintained continuous CCgR), and in 8 cases because it was believed that treatment was no longer necessary (7 of these 8 @entity1 are still in unmaintained continuous CCgR). The 10-year survival rate from first CCgR is 72% (95% CI, 62%-82%) and is related to the risk profile. High-risk @entity1 lost CCgR more frequently and more rapidly and none survived more than 10 years. Low-risk @entity1 survived much longer (10-year survival probability 89% for Sokal low risk and 81% for @entity7634 low risk). These data point out that a substantial long-term survival in CCgRs is restricted mainly to low-risk and possibly intermediate-risk @entity1 and occurs significantly less often in high-risk @entity1 .
