LONG-TERM RESULTS IN HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA TREATED BY SPLENECTOMY

Splenectomy as a therapeutic modality has been evaluated in a group of 24 consecutive patients. Before and after splenectomy only supportive therapy was applied with the exception of two patients in whom cortic osteroids were administered because of vasculitis. Radiation therapy w as applied in one patient because of massive retroperitoneal lymphaden opathy. One patient received Leukeran shortly before the fatal outcome because his response to splenectomy was poor. Out of 24 patients 14 p atients died. The median survival for the partial responders and non-r esponders was 6 months only. Patients with a complete response did not reach median survival yet and 8 of them (33% of the whole group) have been alive for more than 9 years, one patient for more than 20 years. Two distinct groups of patients with respect to the outcome of splene ctomy can be distinguished: The first group is characterized by a rapi d fatal outcome mostly within two years after splenectomy, the second group has a more favorable course with a plateau and only occasional d eaths after the fourth year.