Unusual response of lymphocytic lymphoma (not hairy cell leukaemia) to splenectomy without chemotherapy

An unusual period of prolonged disease control after splenectomy without chemotherapy was achieved in 3 cases of B-cell lymphocytic lymphoma with pancytopenia, massive splenomegaly, minimal lymphadenopathy and circulating hairy cells. The finding of distinctive histopathological features in the bone marrow, lymph nodes and splenic tissue enabled this unusual condition to be characterized and differentiated from hairy cell leukaemia, which may have similar presenting features and in which response to splenectomy is generally good.