BACKGROUND: Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is an uncommon B cell lymphoproliferative disorder. The object of the present audit was to assess whether the investigation and management of HCL in University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) complies with the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) guidelines.
METHODS: Following a review of the records in our Haematology Department, 18 cases of HCL were identified between January 2006 and October 2014.
RESULTS: Blood film examination had been performed in all cases. Flow cytometry of liquid material had been undertaken in 89 % (n = 16) of cases, of which only 31 % (n = 5) included all four hairy cell panel markers (CD11c, CD25, CD103, CD123). Although all initial trephine biopsies included CD20, none analyzed DBA44. Only 65 % (n = 11) of treated patients had a post-treatment bone marrow biopsy preformed.
CONCLUSIONS: This audit highlights areas of improvement in the diagnosis and management of HCL in UCHG, which do not currently adhere to the BCSH recommendations.