Treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia : a pilot study which raises important questions

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients with a Philadelphia chromosome (Ph + ALL) were treated with a combination of antineoplastic drugs recommended for both myeloid and lymphoid leukemia (BHAC-DMPV: behenoylcytooine arabinoside, daunorubicin, 6-mercaptopurine, prednisolone, and vincristine). Ph + ALL patients with chromosome breaks which occur within the major breakpoint cluster region (M-BCR rearranged Ph + ALL) were treated with natural interferon-α (IFN-α) after entering complete remission