Hairy cell leukaemia
Hairy cell leukemia is one of the rarest types of leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells. It gets its term from the fine, hair-like strands around the cancerous cells, which are microscopic.
It’s not known what causes hairy cell leukemia. The condition most commonly affects middle-aged and older folks and is more regular in men than women.
Symptom
Hairy cell leukemia signs and symptoms are comparable to other forms of leukemia and appear gradually.
These signs include:
- Unintended loss of weight
- Pale skin
- Stomach ache or swelling (abdomen)
The abnormal white blood cells can stockpile in your spleen, forcing it to increase in size. If your spleen widens, you’ll likely have a painful swelling on the left side of your abdomen.
An overgrown spleen may terminate normal blood cells from your blood, leading to a further decline in the count of normal red and white blood cells and platelets in your blood.
This condition can cause:
- Liability, fatigue, and breathlessness
- Periodic infections
- Bleeding or bruising easily
Hairy cell leukemia diagnosis
If your doctor presumes you have leukemia, they might suggest you see a blood disorders specialist (hematologist).
A hematologist will arrange for blood testing to determine the type of blood cells in your blood sample. It’s called a full blood count (FBC).
Your platelet and red blood cell counts will probably be low if you have hairy cell leukemia.
The hematologist may also need to extract a sample of your bone marrow for testing, providing more specific information about your illness.
It would be best to have a CT scan or an ultrasound to examine your spleen.
Hairy cell leukemia treatment
You may not require treatment right once since hairy cell leukemia develops gradually. You’ll have routine blood testing to keep an eye on your condition.
You will get treatments if the quantity of abnormal white blood cells rises or you experience symptoms.
Chemotherapy
The effective therapy for hairy cell leukemia is chemotherapy, which usually kills the cancerous cells.
The two most common forms of chemotherapy drugs are:
- Cladribine – delivered either as a drip directly into a vein or as an injection slightly beneath the skin (infusion)
- Pentostatin – the doctor inserts it straight into a vein every two weeks
Surgery
Rarely is surgery employed to remove the spleen used to treat hairy cell leukemia.
However, your spleen may need to be removed if:
- It has grown larger and is hurting or uncomfortable
- There is destruction in numerous red blood cells or platelets
- After chemotherapy, its size has not changed
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022