Efficacy of 2'-Deoxycoformycin in Hairy-Cell Leukemia: A Study of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group¹

Abstract

Thirty-one patients with hairy-cell leukemia were treated with 2'-deoxycoformycin (DCF) in a National Cancer Institute of Canada multicenter trial. The DCF was administered in a cycle (4mg/m²iv weekly × 3), which was repeated every 8 weeks. Following a Complete remission, consolidation was done with two further cycles of DCF. Of 28 patients evaluable for response, 25 obtained a complete remission; 3 had a partial response. To date there has been only one relapse; the median time with no thereapy was 429.5 days (range 99–743days). Toxicity was moderate and included nausea and vomiting, lethargy, and skin rash; with the first cycle of treatment, neutropenia and an increased incidence of fever or infection were also observed. We conclude that low-dose DCF is highly effective in treating hairy-cell leukemia. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1988;80:765–769]