Simultaneous diagnosis of hairy cell leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma: a frequent association?
The association of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) with other neoplasms, mainly non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, is well known. However, the simultaneous diagnosis of HCL and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is rare, with only few cases of such an association having been reported. We describe three patients with a well-characterized HCL in whom a CLL/SLL population was detected. Of note, these cases represent a significant proportion (11.5%; 95% CI: 0% to 24%) of the total number of HCL cases diagnosed in our institution during the same period of time. All three patients were treated with deoxycoformycin. They achieved a complete response of the HCL, whereas the CLL/SLL population persisted in all cases. The immunoglobulin gene rearrangement analysis, in two informative cases, suggested that the HCL and CLL/SLL populations arose from different B cell clones. This study indicates that the association of HCL and CLL/SLL might be much more frequent than previously recognized. Therefore, a large panel of monoclonal antibodies, including those necessary to detect CLL/SLL, should be employed when studying patients with HCL.
Giné
E
E
Institute of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Bosch
F
F
Villamor
N
N
Rozman
M
M
Colomer
D
D
López-Guillermo
A
A
Campo
E
E
Montserrat
E
E
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D017338:Cladribine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D015649:Pentostatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D015649:Pentostatin; D017338:Cladribine