A new drug developed at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation appears to be effective against hairy cell leukemia and to fight other types of blood cancer as well . The medicine , called 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine , or 2-CdA is being called the drug of choice in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia and is being tested against lymphocytic tumors , non - Hodgkins lymphoma and cutaneous T cell lymphoma . Two other drugs , interferon and deoxycoformycin , similar to this , have been developed in recent years but interferon is less effective and both produce side effect . The only unwanted effect of both was a few days of fever .
A new drug developed at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation appears to be effective against hairy cell leukemia and may fight other types of blood cancer as well. The medicine, called 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine, or 2-CdA is being called the drug of choice in the treatment of hairy cell leukemia and is being tested against lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma and cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Two other drugs, interferon and deoxycoformycin, similar to 2-CdA, have been developed in recent years but interferon is less effective and both produce side effect. The only unwanted effect of 2-CdA was a few days of fever.