[Hairy-leukocyte leukemia (tricholeukocyte). Report of a case]

A case of a woman suffering of hairy cells leukemia (tricholeucocytes) is described. The diagnosis of this leukemia was set two years after a splemectomy, due to the enlargement of the spleen. The patient was treated for a period of two years as a refractory anaemia and leucopenia (neutropenia). After admission the diagnosis was confirmed by the examination of periferal blood, cytologic and histologic examination of the bone marrow and after a subsequent examination of the spleen tissue. All these examinations showed the presence of typical hairy cells--tricholeucocytes in the periferal blood, bone marrow and spleen. On account of their own cytochemical examinations, and especialy immunological examinations by other authors, the authors of this presentation suppose that the tricholeucocytes most probably belong to B lymphocytes and that, therefore, this leukemia should be placed in the group of malignant lymphocytoproliferative diseases.