Interferon Alfa-2a for chronic myeloid leukemia

To the Editor: The Italian Cooperative Study Group on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia demonstrated the substantial benefit of interferon in a compelling fashion (March 24 issue),¹ but the cost of therapy in the interferon group was 200 times higher than that in the chemotherapy group, and the quality of life for the patients receiving interferon was not very good because of the high incidence of systemic adverse effects. It would be interesting to compare the outcome in patients in the interferon group who had a hematologic response other than a complete or partial response after 8 months of therapy (Figure 3.