hairy cell leukemia…

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bone marrow aspiration, auer rods, hairy cell leukemia, microscopic view, formed elements of blood, enlarged spleen, leukemic reticuloendotheliosis, hcl, leukemia, hairy cell, hairy cell leukemia, cancer of lymphocytes, b cells, leads to low blood counts, hairy cell leukemia, hcl, an uncommon cancer, the blood, one, low numbers of normal blood cells, disease, abnormal growth, b cells, look "hairy" under the microscope, they have fine projections coming from surface, affects men 5 times more often than women, average age of onset is 55, hairy cell leukemia is rare, accounts, 2%, the leukemias diagnosed each year, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, easy brusing, bleeding, recurrent infections, fevers , excessive sweating, at night, swollen lymph glands, early satiety, feeling full after eating only a small amount, a physical examination, reveal an enlarged spleen, liver, a bone marrow biopsy shows hairy cells, a peripheral blood smear, hairy cells, a special test done on blood, bone marrow cells, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, confirm the diagnosis, an abdominal ct scan shows an enlarged spleen, liver, a cbc shows low white blood cell count, low red cell count, low platelets, in the course, no treatment necessary, patients, blood transfusion, treatment is needed, very low blood counts, a variety of chemotherapy drugs, cladribine, pentostatin, interferon is also used, majority of cases these drugs, produce a remission, complete relief, lasts, many years, unclear, chemotherapy, cure the disease, most patients, relapse over time, removal, the spleen, improve blood counts, unlikely to cure the disease, symptomatic treatment of infections, antibiotics, low blood counts, growth factors, transfusions required, newer treatments using chemotherapy have greatly improved the survival of patients, hairy cell leukemia, most patients, hairy cell leukemia, expect to live 10 years, longer, low blood counts, hairy cell leukemia, lead to infections, fatigue, excessive bleeding, significant bleeding occurs, signs of infection, persistent fever, cough, general ill feeling, no known prevention.