Deoxycoformycin in the treatment of patients with hairy cell leukemia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Deoxycoformycin (DCF) has been reported to produce high response rates in patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL), but to the authors' knowledge data regarding experience with such therapy in a large HCL series are scarce. METHODS: Between 1988-1997, DCF (4 mg/m(2)/day, every 2 weeks) was administered to 80 HCL patients in 32 Spanish institutions. In 35 of 78 evaluable patients DCF was the first-line therapy; the remaining 43 patients had received other therapies. Pretreatment variables influencing the achievement of complete remission (CR) and event free survival were identified by multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median number of cycles administered was 7 (range, 1-22 cycles). A CR was obtained in 56 patients (72%) and a partial remission was obtained in 13 patients, for an overall response rate of 88%. In the multivariate analysis previous splenectomy and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status > or = 2 were the parameters adversely influencing CR achievement. With a median follow-up of 31.2 months (range, 0.4-126.5 months), disease recurrence was observed in 11 of the CR patients, 5 of whom showed a further response to DCF. An ECOG performance status > or = 2 was the only pretreatment variable associated with a shorter event free survival. Seven patients died, four during the treatment period. The actuarial median event free survival was 46 months (95% confidence interval, 22.5-69.5 months), and 48.7% of the 56 patients who achieved a CR were expected to be alive and disease free at 5 years. Hematologic toxicity (marked neutropenia [22 cases], anemia [6 cases], and thrombocytopenia [1 case]) was the main side effect, followed by nausea and emesis (5 cases); 14 patients required hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study confirm the effectiveness and acceptable toxicity of DCF in the treatment of patients with HCL.