Hairy Cell Leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia, or leukemic reticuloendotheliosis, is a chronic leu­ kemia that has received increased attention in recent years. Much of the current vogue in the recognition of this disease may be due to the employ­ ment of the term first used by Schrek & Donnelly (1) to describe the villous cytoplasmic projections of the leukemic cells as viewed under phase microscopy. Because of the curious nature of the hairy cell, there has been considerable interest in attempting to define the cytogenesis, natural history, and factors necessary for accurate diagnosis and effective therapy of this disease.