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Interferon alfa was the first biologic cancer drug (1986). It treated hairy cell leukaemia, CML, melanoma, kidney cancer and Kaposi sarcoma, and has been replaced almost everywhere by better-tolerated agents.
Approved 1986 for hairy cell leukaemia, then AIDS-KS (1988), CML (1990s), adjuvant melanoma (1995, high-dose; pegylated 2011) and follicular lymphoma. Flu-like symptoms, depression, fatigue and autoimmunity limited use; imatinib, checkpoint inhibitors and TKIs replaced it, and the non-pegylated products were discontinued (Intron A 2021, Roferon-A 2007). Interferon survives in MPN as ropeginterferon.
Backbone ribbon from PDB 1RH2. RCSB PDB 1RH2. The ribbon widens where the chain is folded into a regular pattern and narrows where it is a loose loop.
Signals through IFNAR to induce antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic and immunostimulatory interferon-stimulated genes.
1.Interferon alfa-2a/2b binds its target.
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1986 | Hairy cell leukaemia |
| US | 1988 | AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma |
| US | 1995 | Adjuvant high-risk melanoma (high-dose) |
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Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Interferon alfa-2a/2b" OR ABSTRACT:"Interferon alfa-2a/2b" OR TITLE:"Roferon-A" OR ABSTRACT:"Roferon-A" OR TITLE:"Intron A" OR ABSTRACT:"Intron A" OR TITLE:"Sylatron" OR ABSTRACT:"Sylatron") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Interferon alfa-2a/2b, not a curated reading list.
Shares Cytokines & engineered cytokines, Renal cell carcinoma, Melanoma and the tag historic.
Shares Mycosis fungoides and the tag historic.
Shares Indolent and smouldering systemic mastocytosis, Advanced systemic mastocytosis (aggressive SM, SM with an associated haematological neoplasm, mast cell leukaemia), Erdheim-Chester disease, Hairy cell leukaemia.
Shares Erdheim-Chester disease: consensus recommendations for evaluation, diagnosis and treatment in the molecular era, Erdheim-Chester disease, Hairy cell leukaemia, Craniopharyngioma.
Shares MPN driver mutations (JAK2 V617F, CALR, MPL) and allele burden, Indolent and smouldering systemic mastocytosis, Advanced systemic mastocytosis (aggressive SM, SM with an associated haematological neoplasm, mast cell leukaemia), Systemic mastocytosis.
Shares IPSET-thrombosis score (essential thrombocythaemia), Peginterferon alfa-2b, MPN driver mutations (JAK2 V617F, CALR, MPL) and allele burden, Indolent and smouldering systemic mastocytosis.
Shares Erdheim-Chester disease: consensus recommendations for evaluation, diagnosis and treatment in the molecular era, Erdheim-Chester disease, Craniopharyngioma, Erdheim-Chester disease, Rosai-Dorfman disease and other histiocytic neoplasms.
Shares Indolent and smouldering systemic mastocytosis, Advanced systemic mastocytosis (aggressive SM, SM with an associated haematological neoplasm, mast cell leukaemia), Erdheim-Chester disease.