title: [Therapeutic response and survival in patients with hairy cell leukemia in a third level institution].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  in Mexico published casuistry concerning hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to describe the therapeutic response and survival of patients with HCL attended in a third level public institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  patient's data with HCL diagnosis registered between January 1989 - December 2009 were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  twenty three patients fulfilled HCL diagnosis criteria. Median age was 44 years (range 23-75 years) and median follow-up of the cohort was 1,877 days (range 1-8,462 days). First line treatment varied along time finding complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) rates of 77.3 and 18.2%, respectively. Of all therapeutic modalities employed cladribine induced the highest response rate. Survival at 1,877 days was 82.6%. At last follow-up 65.2% of patients remain alive, 13 in CR and 2 in PR; 4 died (CR = 2, PR = 1, active disease = 1) and 4 were lost during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  this study which included more patients than previous single-institution Mexican series confirm the chronic clinical behavior of HCL and that purine analogs are corner stone in the treatment of patients suffering HCL.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Hematología y Oncología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador, Zubirán, México.
authors.forename: Karina Teresita
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: González-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Angel Gabriel
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vargas-Ruiz
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: López-Karpovitch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult