Hairy Cell Leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia is a rare type of chronic leukemia. The National Cancer Institute describes it as a cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. The abnormal cells are B lymphocytes with thin projections that look like hairs under a microscope, which gives the disease its name. Signs include infections, tiredness, and pain below the ribs from an enlarged spleen. It usually grows slowly, and many patients respond well to treatment.

Because it is a B-cell cancer, hairy cell leukemia is closely related to some lymphomas, and it is sometimes grouped with them in medical classifications. That matters in litigation over chemicals linked to blood cancers.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lists chronic B-cell leukemias, including hairy cell leukemia, as a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, which means eligible veterans do not have to prove the herbicide caused their cancer to receive disability benefits. Exposure to solvents such as benzene and to certain pesticides has also been studied as a possible risk factor for leukemias generally, although the causes of hairy cell leukemia are not well established.

In product litigation, people diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia sometimes ask whether they qualify for cases involving non-Hodgkin lymphoma, such as Roundup lawsuits. The answer depends on how each case defines the qualifying diagnosis, so check the specific criteria and keep your pathology report, which states the exact cancer type. See our Roundup cancer lawsuit page and military exposure page.