Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a type of cancer. The characteristic medical sign of this condition is the collection of abnormal B lymphocytes. It is not a common condition, and out of all leukemia cases, it is estimated that around two percent are HCL. The reason that the word "hairy" appears in the name is that, when viewed through a microscope, the malignant B lymphocytes have such an appearance.

Symptoms

When a person has HCL, the malignant cells gather in his bone marrow, which causes interference in production of both white and red blood cells, as well as platelets. This means that many symptoms may be related to a lack of normal levels of those. For instance, the person may bleed more easily due to a low level of platelets. Anemia could result due to the abnormally low level of red blood cells. Certain infections might come because of a low count of white blood cells.

Other symptoms can also appear. For instance, the spleen can become swollen if cells collect there. Cholesterol levels might be lowered in some individuals with this cancer. Swollen lymph nodes along the outside of the body are an uncommon symptom, however, lymphadenopathy within the abdomen is frequently noted (found via CT scan). Keep in mind that the list on this page is not exhaustive, and also that these issues need not appear in order for a person to have hairy cell leukemia.

Causes

The exact medical cause, or causes, for HCL are not currently known. Some studies seem to indicate that those involved in farming and gardening have a higher incidence of this cancer, and it could be possible that exposure to herbicides can be related to its development.

Diagnosis

A doctor or other professional is involved in the diagnosis of a case of hairy cell leukemia. If a patient has taken a complete blood count and received unusual results, this may indicate that he has hairy cell leukemia, but getting a confirmation of this requires further testing. The item of most importance toward a diagnosis of HCL, as far as lab work is concerned, is finding hairy cells in the person's blood.

Treatment

Once a person has been diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, then if a treatment is selected, it is to be based upon professional advice. In certain situations, no treatment is even required, but that is not something that can be decided by visiting this website, as the information here is not professional advice, but simply general details. Common treatment involves using one medication at a time, rather than the multiple ones that are frequently employed simultaneously in cases of many other cancers.

Read about other medical causes of swollen lymph nodes, or go back to the home page for general lymphadenopathy details.