Prolymphocytic leukemia
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Prolymphocytic leukemia Prolymphocytic leukemias are rare lymphoid leukemias, which account for only about 2% of all mature lymphoid leukemias. Prolymphocytic leukemias present like leukemia and, like lymphomas, they start in the lymphocytes, but do not form solid tumours. Prolymphocytic leukemias are also considered lymphoproliferative disorders, which mean that lymphocytes are produced in large amounts. Were thought to be a rare variation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but are now considered a distinct disease. This leukemia is divided into two types according the kind of cell involved: B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia. Were thought to be a rare variation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but are now considered a distinct disease. It is usually classified as a kind of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Although these 2 types of Prolymphocytic leukemias share some of the same characteristics, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies them as different types of lymphoid leukemias.[1]
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