Staging is the process used to find out how far the cancer has spread. There is no standard staging system for hairy cell leukemia. The disease is grouped as untreated, progressive, or refractory.

Untreated hairy cell leukemia

The hairy cell leukemia is newly diagnosed and has not been treated except to relieve symptoms such as weight loss and infections. In untreated hairy cell leukemia, some or all of the following conditions occur:

• Hairy (leukemia) cells are found in the blood and bone marrow.
• The number of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets may be lower than normal.
• The spleen may be larger than normal.

Progressive hairy cell leukemia

In progressive hairy cell leukemia, the leukemia has been treated with either chemotherapy or splenectomy (removal of the spleen) and one or both of the following conditions occur:

• There is an increase in the number of hairy cells in the blood or bone marrow.
• The number of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets in the blood is lower than normal.

Back to Top

< Previous Section  |  Next Section >