Treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the elderly: an evaluation of interferon alpha given as a single agent after complete remission

Although interferon (IFN) has been used in elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the benefits from IFN therapy have not been properly assessed, especially as it was given combined with other cytotoxic drugs, which obscured the role of IFN if any. In 1997, we started a study aimed at improving our previous results in elderly patients with ALL and at assessing the therapeutic role of IFN in this disease. Fifty-eight patients with ALL, aged 55-81 years (median: 64.9 years), were randomly allocated to treatment with vindesine or vincristine during induction. After a first consolidation course, IFN was administered as a single agent for three months together with cranial radiotherapy. Chemotherapy was then resumed with a second consolidation course and maintenance. A complete remission (CR) was obtained in 58% of patients (CI: 45-71%), significantly less than in our previous study which included IFN combined with chemotherapy during maintenance (CR: 85%, CI:70-94%, p = 0.007). Overall survival (median: 289 vs 434 days in the previous study, p = 0.01) and disease-free survival (median: 146 vs 427 days, p = 0.009) were also inferior in the present study. In particular, the pattern of relapses over time suggested that the 3 month IFN treatment phase with no additional chemotherapy might have contributed to the comparatively poor outcome of this cohort. In addition, vindesine given during induction did not prove less neurotoxic than vincristine, did not improve the CR rate, and had no impact on survival. In conclusion, although similar to published studies in elderly patients with ALL, this study is inferior to our previous one. INF, given as a single drug, has a modest role if any in the treatment of older persons with ALL.