Campath-1H–Induced Complete Remission of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia despitep53Gene Mutation and Resistance to Chemotherapy

To the Editor: Treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with fludarabine results in a higher remission rate and longer progression-free survival than do alkylating agents.1 Patients who have no response to fludarabine have a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of 10 months.2 In these patients the anti–CD52 antibody alemtuzumab (Campath-1H, MabCampath) has recently shown promising results, with an overall response rate of 33 percent.3 The molecular mechanisms of its action and the biologic factors associated with the clinical response are not well defined. A 72-year-old woman was given a diagnosis of CLL, Binet stage A, in August 1997. Because . . .