| Images Peripheral Blood Peripheral Blood,Trap Stain Bone Marrow Bone Marrow 2 Bone Marrow, High Power Marrow Fibrosis Electron Micrograph of a Hairy Cell |
Hairy cell leukemia is an uncommon malignant disorder of small B-lymphocytes that gets its name from the presence of cytoplasmic projections in these cells. Patients commonly present with pancytopenia, splenomegaly and marrow fibrosis. The peripheral blood usually contains a small number of hairy cells, but it is uncommon to have a "leukemic picture". Hairy cells proliferate in the red pulp of the spleen, and so splenomegaly is common. The marrow has increased reticulin and "dry-taps" are common. The hairy cell lymphocytes stain for tartrate resistant acid phosphate (TRAP). Recently there has been great success in treating hairy cell leukemia. |
Students wishing to view jpgs of the text slide's from Dr. Krause's lecture on HCL may view them HERE.
