title: Treatment of hairy cell leukemia (leukemic reticuloendotheliosis) II. Chlorambucil therapy in postsplenectomy patients with progressive disease.
abstract: Four postsplenectomy patients with progressive hairy cell leukemia were treated with daily low doses of an alkylating agent (chlorambucil, 4 mg). An objective response, measured by improvement in blood counts in four patients as well as decreased bone marrow involvement on core biopsy in three patients, could be documented within 6 mo. It is important to identify the postsplenectomy patient with progressive disease as early as possible in order to initiate low-dose single agent chemotherapy and have the time necessary to effect an objective response.
mesh_terms: D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D013156:Splenectomy
chemical_list: D002699:Chlorambucil