Introduction

Hairy cell leukaemia, most commonly found in adult men, is a very rare type of chronic leukaemia.

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Chronic leukaemia means that the condition progresses slowly over many years, so immediate treatment may not be required.

It is called hairy cell leukaemia because the cancerous white blood cells have hair-like strands coming out of the cell surface, which are visible under the microscope.

Symptoms of hairy cell leukaemia

Symptoms of hairy cell leukaemia are the same as those of other types of leukaemia and include:

  • pale skin
  • tiredness
  • breathlessness
  • repeated infections over a short space of time

Who is affected

Hairy cell leukaemia accounts for 2%-5% of all cases of leukaemia. It is found mostly in people aged 40-60, and is more common in men than women.

Outlook

Hairy cell leukaemia usually develops slowly and can be kept under control for many years with treatment.

The main form of treatment for hairy cell leukaemia is chemotherapy. You may also have surgery or a type of biological therapy such as interferon alpha or rituximab.

As with most types of cancer, the outlook for each case depends largely on how far it has advanced at the time of diagnosis, and how well it responds to treatment.

How leukaemia affects blood cells

All of the blood cells in your body are produced by bone marrow. Bone marrow is a spongy material found inside the bones, which produces special cells called stem cells.

Stem cells are very useful because they have the ability to create other specialised cells that carry out important functions. The stem cells in bone marrow produce three important types of blood cells:

  • red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body
  • white blood cells, which help fight infection
  • platelets, which help stop bleeding

In leukaemia, the cancer begins in the stem cells and causes them to produce more white blood cells than are needed. Over time, the cancerous white blood cells build up, disrupting the normal balance of cells in the blood.

This means that the body does not have enough red blood cells or platelets. This can cause symptoms of anaemia, such as tiredness and feeling faint, as well as increasing the likelihood of excessive bleeding.

Also, as the white blood cells are not properly formed, they are less effective at fighting bacteria and viruses, making you more vulnerable to infection.



Last updated on: 27 / 03 / 2012