Sandbox: HCL therapy
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 splenic distension
- Positive history of recurrent infections.
- Hemoglobin concentration lower than 12 g/dl
- Platelets count lower than 100,000/mcl
- Absolute neutrophil count lower than 1000/mcl
- Pharmacological agents used for the treatment of hairy cell leukemia patients include:
- The preferred drug for the initial treatment of hairy cell leukemia is either cladribine or pentostatin.