Hairy cell leukemia: clinical presentation and long term follow up after treatment with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA).

The aim of the study was to the clinical features and long term follow up after treatment with Cladarbine in a tertiary care hospital. Seven patients with hairy cell leukemia were diagnosed between January 1990 till December 2003. Diagnosis in all the patients was established by bone marrow aspirates and trephine biopsy along with TRAP. In two patients the diagnosis was supplemented by flowcytometry and in another two patients by splenectomy. Six patients were male while one was female. Mean age was 47.7 years (range 36-64). Most common presenting features were pallor and weakness (n=5). All patients had splenomegaly. Blood count at presentation revealed that one patient had bicytopenia, two had isolated thrombocytopenia, and three had pancytopenia. Treatment responses were evaluable in seven patients. Complete response was seen in six patients (85.7%). One patient died after two months due to sepsis while 3 (50%) patients relapsed. Those who relapsed received another course of CDA and have maintained remission with a median duration of response of 48 months (20-48). From this small series we can conclude that CDA is an effective treatment for HCL and even it works very well in relapsed cases.