Chlorambucil therapy in hairy cell leukemia: effects on lipid composition and lymphocyte subpopulations

Two patients with progressive hairy cell leukemia following splenectomy were treated with low-dose daily chlorambucil. Both had an objective hematologic response as determined by a return to normal hematocrit and platelet count. This was also reflected in the mononuclear cell fraction by the normalization of cholesterol content, cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, and the lymphocyte subpopulations. This article confirms previous reports on the efficacy of chlorambucil in this setting and describes some morphological, and biochemical concomitant events.