[Treatment for recurrent hairy cell leukemia]

To give data on the frequency of recurrent hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and to characterize the immediate and late results of its treatment in this group of patients.

The data on the frequency of recurrences were analyzed in 165 patients with HCL after remission achieved by the purine analogue cladribin in the period 1995 to 2011. The treatment of recurrent HCL included splenectomy, interferon-a, cladribin, and rituximab.

After a course of cladribin therapy, the total frequency of recurrent HCL was 22%. The high (47%) frequency of recurrences was found in young patients (less than 45 years) as compared to that (9%) in older patients. A combination of cladribin and rituximab showed a high efficacy in treating the early recurrence of HCL.

The differences found in the frequency of recurrences give grounds to incorporate rituximab into the standard therapy regimen for HCL in young patients and in patients with early disease recurrence.