Hairy cell leukaemia

Q The following are the myeloproliferative disorders except:

Polycythemia vera

Essential thrombocytosis

Chronic myeloid leukaemia

Hairy cell leukaemia

• • Hairy cell leukaemia is not a myeloproliferative disorder. It is type B cell leukaemia in which hairy cells are seen. These cells have characteristic appearance with numerous cytoplasmic projections.

  • Hairy cell leukaemia is responsive to chemotherapy with alpha interferon, pentostatin or cladribine with the latter being the usually preferred treatment.

  • Clincal complete remissions with cladribine occur in the majority of patients, and long term disease free survival is frequent.