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Ency. home > Disease > H > Hairy cell leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Leukemic reticuloendotheliosis; HCL

Definition:

A cancer of lymphocytes (B cells) that leads to low blood counts.

Causes and Risks

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is an uncommon cancer of the blood. It can be one of the causes of low numbers of normal blood cells. The disease is caused by the abnormal growth of B cells that can look "hairy" under the microscope because they have fine projections coming from their surface. 

The cause of this disease is unknown. It affects men 5 times more often than women, and the average age of onset is 55. Hairy cell leukemia is rare and only accounts for about 2% of the leukemias diagnosed each year.

Ency. home > Disease > H > Hairy cell leukemia

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