Sandbox: HCL therapy: Difference between revisions
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| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
:* [[Vemurafenib]] | :* [[Vemurafenib]] | ||
===First Line Therapy=== | ===First Line Therapy=== | ||
* | * The preferred pharmacological agent used for the initial management of hairy cell leukemia could be either [[cladribine]] or [[pentostatin]]. | ||
* Hairy cell leukemia patients who '''demonstrate''' a complete response to the initial medical therapy should be managed by follow-up and close observation for any signs of relapse. | * Hairy cell leukemia patients who '''demonstrate''' a complete response to the initial medical therapy should be managed by follow-up and close observation for any signs of relapse. | ||
* A complete response to medical therapy among patients with hairy cell leukemia is defined by: | * A complete response to medical therapy among patients with hairy cell leukemia is defined by: | ||
:* Resolution of the patient's symptoms | :* Resolution of the patient's symptoms | ||
| Line 28: | Line 24: | ||
:* Recovery of the patients blood counts to the normal limits | :* Recovery of the patients blood counts to the normal limits | ||
:* The absence of malignant leukemic cells on blood smear or bone marrow aspiration | :* The absence of malignant leukemic cells on blood smear or bone marrow aspiration | ||
===Relapsed Therapy=== | ===Relapsed Therapy=== | ||
* The optimal therapy for patients who relapse after a complete response depends on the duration of disease-free period following the initial medical therapy. | * The optimal therapy for patients who relapse after a complete response depends on the duration of disease-free period following the initial medical therapy. | ||
Revision as of 00:35, 30 October 2015
Overview
Medical Therapy
- The mainstay of therapy for hairy cell leukemia patients is chemotherapy.
- Asymptomatic hairy cell leukemia patients, with no indications for therapy, may be managed by observation and close follow-up.
- Indications to initiate medical therapy among patients with hairy cell leukemia include:
- The presence of systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, and significant weight loss
- The presence of subcostal abdominal discomfort due to splenomegaly
- A positive history of recurrent infections
- Hemoglobin concentration lower than 12 g/dl
- Platelets count lower than 100,000/mcl
- Absolute neutrophils count lower than 1000/mcl
- Pharmacological agents used for the treatment of hairy cell leukemia patients include:
First Line Therapy
- The preferred pharmacological agent used for the initial management of hairy cell leukemia could be either cladribine or pentostatin.
- Hairy cell leukemia patients who demonstrate a complete response to the initial medical therapy should be managed by follow-up and close observation for any signs of relapse.
- A complete response to medical therapy among patients with hairy cell leukemia is defined by:
- Resolution of the patient's symptoms
- The absence of splenomegaly on physical exam
- Recovery of the patients blood counts to the normal limits
- The absence of malignant leukemic cells on blood smear or bone marrow aspiration
Relapsed Therapy
- The optimal therapy for patients who relapse after a complete response depends on the duration of disease-free period following the initial medical therapy.
- Hairy cell leukemia patients who relapse after one year or more are be managed by the same initial purine analogue ± rituximab.
- Whereas hairy cell leukemia patients who relapse before a period of one year are managed by an alternative purine analogue ± rituximab.
Refractory Therapy
- Patients with progressive hairy cell leukemia who do not demonstrate a complete response to any of the aforementioned medical therapies should be managed with vemurafenib.