Hairy cell leukemia
DEFINITION
Hairy cell leukemia is a rare, slow-growing cancer of the blood in which your bone marrow makes too many B cells (lymphocytes), a type of white blood cell that fights infection.
These excess B cells are abnormal and look “hairy” under a microscope. As the number of leukemia cells increases, fewer healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets are produced.
Hairy cell leukemia affects more men than women, and it occurs most commonly in middle-aged or older adults.
Hairy cell leukemia is considered a chronic disease because it may never completely disappear, although treatment can lead to a remission for years.
CAUSES
It’s not clear what causes hairy cell leukemia.
Doctors know that cancer occurs when cells develop errors in their DNA. In the case of hairy cell leukemia, mutations in the DNA cause your bone marrow stem cells to create too many white blood cells that don’t work properly. Doctors don’t know what causes the DNA mutations that lead to hairy cell leukemia.
SYMPTOMS
Some people have no signs or symptoms of hairy cell leukemia, but a blood test for another disease or condition may inadvertently reveal hairy cell leukemia.
Other times people with hairy cell leukemia experience signs and symptoms common to a number of diseases and conditions, such as:
- A feeling of fullness in your abdomen that may make it uncomfortable to eat more than a little at a time
- Fatigue
- Easy bruising
- Recurring infections
- Weakness
- Weight loss
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs and symptoms that worry you.
