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Treatment of Hairy Cell Leukemia

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of hairy cell leukemia may include the following:

  • Watchful waiting when possible.
  • Rituximab.
  • BRAF inhibitors (vemurafenib or dabrafenib) with or without rituximab or trametinib.
  • Cladribine with or without rituximab.
  • Pentostatin.
  • Ibrutinib.
  • Repeat treatment with cladribine or pentostatin.
  • Bendamustine with rituximab.
  • Splenectomy.

You and your doctor will discuss what treatment plan is best for you.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Navigating Care disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. This information was sourced and adapted from Adapted from the National Cancer Institute's Physician Data Query (PDQ®) Cancer Information Summaries on www.cancer.gov.

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