Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of combinational application of thalidomide and recombinant human interferon-α-1b, interleukin-2 (the ITI scheme) in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in different settings.

Methods: AML patients with different disease states were categorized into three groups and received treatments following the ITI scheme. Group A consisted of relapsed or refractory AML patients (R/R-AML) and primary AML patients who were unable to receive chemotherapy. Group B included patients with morphologically complete remission (CR) and consistently positive minimal residual disease (MRD). Group C is composed of AML patients with initial complete remission and negative MRD. The CR rate, partial remission rate, MRD status, quality of life, and long-term survival were observed accordingly. ITI scheme is administrated as: IFNα-1b 60ug/d qod ih, IL-2 1001 million units/d qod ih, Thalidomide 200mg qn po. the Compound Salvia Tablets were recommended orally taken in order to prevent deep venous thrombosis.

Results: a. With a total response rate of 30% in 60 AML patients of Group A, 4 CR, 6 CRi and 8 PR, who maintained good quality of life with no transfusion with red blood cells or platelet components any more (Table1).

  1. The MRD of 13 cases (72.2%) turned negative among 18 patients in Group B. MRD levels turned unmeasurable in seven patients receiving a conventional dose of ITI regimen, and MRD levels significantly decreased in three patients. MRD levels turned unmeasurable after receiving a higher dose of ITI regimen in two patients, and one patients MRD level decreased. Five patients failed to this regimen and suffered a hematologic recurrence. The efficacy is positively correlated with level of MRD level before ITI administration. 81.8% (9/11) patients responded to ITI regimen in whose MRD level ≤1.0%. However, only 57.1% (4/7) responded in whose MRD≥1.0%. 3 patients responded to a extra dose of ITI after no response to a normal dose. Indicated that the efficacy of this regimen is positively correlated with the dose of the regimen.(Table 2)

  2. In group C of 88 patients, 11 patients failed to maintain MRD negative, and the relapse rate was 12.5% (Table 3and figure 1).

Conclusions: The ITI scheme can provide a new, effective, and affordable treatment option for AML patients that are intolerant to conventional chemotherapy, including R/R-AML patients, patients with CR status but MRD positive, and patients after initial CR.

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Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Topics:
aldesleukin, human leukocyte interferon, interferons, leukemia, myelocytic, acute, thalidomide, tablet dosage form, chemotherapy regimen, complete remission, deep vein thrombosis, neoplasm, residual

Author notes

*

Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.

© 2018 by The American Society of Hematology
2018
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