What is hairy cell leukemia?

Hairy cell leukemia is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). Hairy cell leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. This rare type of leukemia gets worse slowly or does not get worse at all.

What is the cause of hairy cell leukemia?

The exact cause of hairy cell leukemia is unknown. The specific symptoms of hairy cell leukemia are due to overproduction of abnormal “hairy” cells, which results in a deficiency of the three main types of blood cells – red and white blood cells and platelets.

What is the survival rate for hairy cell leukemia?

Survival statistics for hairy cell leukaemia

Generally for people with hairy cell leukaemia: around 95 out of every 100 (around 95%) will survive their leukaemia for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.

What does hairy cell leukemia affect?

Hairy cell leukemia most commonly affects the bone marrow and spleen. However, because HCL travels between the bone marrow, spleen, liver and lymph nodes via the bloodstream, it may potentially affect any part of the body that the blood circulates to.

Is hairy cell leukemia treatable?

There is no cure for hairy cell leukemia. But treatments are effective at putting hairy cell leukemia in remission for years.

Hairy cell leukemia

Is hairy cell leukemia serious?

Untreated hairy cell leukemia that progresses may crowd out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, leading to serious complications, such as: Infections. Reduced numbers of healthy white blood cells put you at risk of infections that your body might otherwise fight off.

Are there stages to hairy cell leukemia?

There is no standard staging system for hairy cell leukemia.

The process used to find out if cancer has spread to other parts of the body is called staging. There is no standard staging system for hairy cell leukemia.

What were your first signs of leukemia?

Does hairy cell leukemia run in families?

HCL is more common in men than in women. There is no clear evidence that HCL runs in families or is caused by specific environmental factors. The disease is called hairy cell leukemia because the leukemia cells have long thin projections that look like hairs.

How do you treat hairy cell leukaemia?

Treatment. Although the majority of patients with HCL require treatment, a small number (about 10%) may not require immediate therapy and may be closely observed until therapy is needed. In general, the therapeutic agents used to treat HCL are quite effective, but they are immunosuppressive.

Can you live a full life with hairy cell leukemia?

Many people with hairy cell leukemia live good-quality lives for years with medical care. Hematologists and oncologists are specialists who treat people who have hairy cell leukemia or other types of blood cancer. The drug cladribine is the initial treatment for most people who have hairy cell leukemia.

What is a common finding in patients with hairy cell leukemia?

Splenomegaly is the most common physical finding in hairy cell leukemia. It is present in virtually every patient with the disease and it is massive in more than 80% of patients. Hepatomegaly with mild liver function abnormalities is found in 20% of cases, and lymphadenopathy is found in 10%.

How is hairy cell leukemia prevented?

Exposure to certain chemicals such as those used in farming may increase the risk of developing Hairy Cell Leukemia. However, other than avoiding such chemicals there is no known way to prevent developing HCL.

Does hairy cell leukemia affect the eyes?

Abstract. Hairy cell leukemia is a seldom non-Hodgkin-lymphoma of the B-cells. The case of a 39 year old male with loss of vision as first sign of hairy cell leukemia is presented. The decrease of vision was caused by intraretinal bleeding into the macula.

Is hairy cell leukemia an autoimmune disease?

Background. Case reports suggest that hairy cell leukemia (HCL) may be associated with autoimmune conditions, however no systematic investigations in this area have been undertaken.

Can Roundup cause hairy cell leukemia?

Glyphosate, the main active ingredient in weed killers such as Roundup and Honcho, has been found by the International Agency for Research on Cancer to be a "probable carcinogen," mostly associated with cancers of the lymphatic system and blood. One of the rarest forms of such diseases is hairy cell leukemia (HCL).

Is hairy cell leukemia a form of non Hodgkin's lymphoma?

Hairy cell leukaemia variant

Despite its name, it is classed as a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is very rare. Like classical hairy cell leukaemia, the abnormal cells in HCL-V look hairy under a microscope.

Does smoking cause hairy cell leukemia?

Or, environmental factors may cause these changes, such as smoking or exposure to certain chemicals or radiation. However, most often the cause of leukemia is not known. The following factors may raise a person's risk of developing PLL or HCL. Learn more about the risk factors for CLL.

What foods can help fight leukemia?

What are the 5 stages of leukemia?

Does leukemia run in families?

Leukemia is generally not considered a hereditary disease. However, having a close family member with leukemia increases your risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

What is the first stage of leukemia?

Stage 1 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 2 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic. He or she may also have enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 3 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic.

What are the side effects of cladribine?

Does leukemia come on suddenly?

Acute leukemia may cause signs and symptoms that are similar to the flu. They come on suddenly within days or weeks. Chronic leukemia often causes only a few symptoms or none at all. Signs and symptoms usually develop gradually.

Can hairy cell leukemia cause back pain?

Abstract. The authors report on a 54-year-old man who presented with a lumbar vertebral body lesion and an adjacent epidural lesion that was found to be hairy cell leukemia (HCL). The patient presented with gradual onset of back pain and intermittent lower-extremity radicular symptoms.