Macroglobulinemia and Hairy-Cell Leukemia

Abstract

Leukemic reticuloendotheliosis, or hairy-cell leukemia, is a distinct clinical entity characterized by the proliferation of cells that have prominent cytoplasmic projections and contain the tartrate-resistant isozyme 5 of acid phosphatase.^{1 2 3} Although the clinical and morphologic features of this disease are widely known, there is considerable disagreement over whether the leukemic cell belongs to the lymphocyte or monocyte lineage.⁴ In the unusual case of hairy-cell leukemia reported below, the leukemic cells produced a monoclonal IgM, thereby substantiating the lymphocyte derivation of the neoplastic cells in this patient. The findings emphasize the wide clinical and biologic spectrum of B-cell neoplasms.Case History . . .