• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Hairy cell leukemia

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Leukemic reticuloendotheliosis; HCL; Leukemia - hairy cell

Symptoms:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Recurrent infections and fevers
• Excessive sweating (especially at night)
• Swollen lymph glands
• Feeling full after eating only a small amount (early satiety)

Signs and tests:

During a physical exam, the doctor may be able to feel a swollen spleen or liver. An abdominal CT scan may be done to confirm this swelling.

A complete blood count shows low levels of white and red blood cells, as well as platelets .

Blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy can detect hairy cells. A test called TRAP can confirm the cancer diagnosis.

• Review Date: 4/27/2007
• Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.