Richter's transformation
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Richter's transformation, or Richter's Syndrome (RS) is a rare complication of B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or hairy cell leukemia (HCL). With Ricther's, CLL changes into a fast-growing diffuse large B cell lymphoma.[3] It affects perhaps 2% to 8% of CLL patients at some point during their lives.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Richter’s transformation include fever, loss of weight and muscle mass, and enlarged lymph nodes.[4] Richter's can appear suddenly, even in patients who were in remission. The prognosis is generally poor, and aggressive treatment is usually warranted.