Skip to main content
British Journal of Cancer logoLink to British Journal of Cancer
. 1981 Jul;44(1):75–80. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1981.150

Treatment of polycythaemia vera by radiophosphorus or busulphan: a randomized trial. "Leukemia and Hematosarcoma" Cooperative Group, European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer (E.O.R.T.C.).

PMCID: PMC2010658  PMID: 7020738

Abstract

Between 1967 and 1978 a Phase III cooperative study was performed in polycythaemia vera (PCV) patients who had not been treated previously with any specific therapy other than phlebotomy. 293 patients were included and allocated at random for either radiophosphorus therapy (146) or busulphan treatment (147). Additional phlebotomies were indicated in both groups, to keep the haematocrit at 42-47%. 285 patients were evaluable after the study was completed, of whom 50% have an 8-year follow-up. Both groups were comparable with respect to age, clinical symptoms and haematological parameters immediately before randomization. The duration of the first remission and the overall survival were significantly better in the busulphan group. This difference remains significant after correction for differences between the two groups with respect to sex-ratio and phlebotomy before and the start of therapy. Busulphan induced a longer first remission (P less than 0.001) and a longer overall survival (P less than 0.02).

Full text

PDF
75

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adamson J. W., Fialkow P. J., Murphy S., Prchal J. F., Steinmann L. Polycythemia vera: stem-cell and probable clonal origin of the disease. N Engl J Med. 1976 Oct 21;295(17):913–916. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197610212951702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. DAMESHEK W. Some speculations on the myeloproliferative syndromes. Blood. 1951 Apr;6(4):372–375. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Gilbert H. S. Definition, clinical features and diagnosis of polycythaemia vera. Clin Haematol. 1975 Jun;4(2):263–290. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HENNIG K., FRANKE W. G., STRIETZEL M. EIGENE ERFAHRUNGEN MIT DER RADIOPHOSPHORBEHANDLUNG BEI POLYCYTHAEMIA VERA. Z Gesamte Inn Med. 1965 Jan 1;20:14–20. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Halnan K. E., Russell M. H. Polycythaemia vera. Lancet. 1965 Oct 16;2(7416):760–763. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(65)90812-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Harman J. B., Ledlie E. M. Survival of polycythaemia vera patients treated with radioactive phosphorus. Br Med J. 1967 Apr 15;2(5545):146–148. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5545.146. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hutton R. D. The effect of iron deficiency on whole blood viscosity in polycythaemic patients. Br J Haematol. 1979 Oct;43(2):191–199. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1979.tb03741.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hör G., Pabst H. W. Radiophosphortherapie der Polycythaemia vera. Ther Umsch. 1973 Nov;30(11):789–796. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Landaw S. A. Acute leukemia in polycythemia vera. Semin Hematol. 1976 Jan;13(1):33–48. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lawrence J. H., Winchell H. S., Donald W. G. Leukemia in polycythemia vera. Relationship to splenic myeloid metaplasia and therapeutic radiation dose. Ann Intern Med. 1969 Apr;70(4):763–771. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-70-4-763. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Loeb V., Jr Treatment of polycythaemia vera. Clin Haematol. 1975 Jun;4(2):441–456. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. MANTEL N., HAENSZEL W. Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of disease. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1959 Apr;22(4):719–748. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MODAN B., LILIENFELD A. M. POLYCYTHEMIA VERA AND LEUKEMIA--THE ROLE OF RADIATION TREATMENT. A STUDY OF 1222 PATIENTS. Medicine (Baltimore) 1965 Jul;44:305–344. doi: 10.1097/00005792-196507000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Modan B. An epidemiological study of polycythemia vera. Blood. 1965 Nov;26(5):657–667. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Modan B. Inter-relationship between polycythaemia vera, leukaemia and myeloid metaplasia. Clin Haematol. 1975 Jun;4(2):427–439. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. OSGOOD E. E. POLYCYTHEMIA VERA: AGE RELATIONSHIPS AND SURVIVAL. Blood. 1965 Sep;26:243–256. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Osgood E. E. The case for 32p in treatment of polycythemia vera. Blood. 1968 Sep;32(3):492–499. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. PERKINS J., ISRAUELS M. C., WILKINSON J. F. POLYCYTHAEMIA VERA: CLINICAL STUDIES ON A SERIES OF 127 PATIENTS MANAGED WITHOUT RADIATION THERAPY. Q J Med. 1964 Oct;33:499–518. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Silverstein M. N. The evolution into and the treatment of late stage polycythemia vera. Semin Hematol. 1976 Jan;13(1):79–84. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tubiana M., Flamant R., Attie E., Hayat M. A study of hematological complications occurring in patients with polycythemia vera treated with 32-P (based on a series of 296 patients). Blood. 1968 Oct;32(4):536–548. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Urasiński I., Mysik M. Die Therapie der Polycythaemia vera mit Busulphan (Myleran). Bericht über die Behandlungsergebnisse von 40 Kranken. Folia Haematol Int Mag Klin Morphol Blutforsch. 1970;94(4):360–366. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wasserman L. R. The management of polycythaemia vera. Br J Haematol. 1971 Oct;21(4):371–376. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1971.tb02698.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wasserman L. R. The treatment of polycythemia vera. Semin Hematol. 1976 Jan;13(1):57–78. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Cancer are provided here courtesy of Cancer Research UK

RESOURCES