Interferon Alpha Has a Strong Anti-tumor Effect in Philadelphia-negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Currently the cytoreductive approach with hydroxyurea remains the backbone treatment in myeloproliferative neoplasms. A valid, but not common alternative is interferon alfa (IFN-a).We prospectively assessed 63 patients with Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms treated with either hydroxyurea or IFN-a. Our data support IFN-a as a more suitable therapeutic option owing to its more profound hematologic and molecular responses and long-term disease control.