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Symptoms
HCL tends to develop slowly over a number of years. It often causes no symptoms at first. The cancerous cells eventually overgrow the bone marrow. This forces out other normal components, like red blood cells and platelets. Low red blood cell levels can cause anemia . Low platelet levels can cause excess bleeding.
Symptoms may include:
- Weakness and fatigue (due to anemia)
- Enlarged spleen
- Enlarged liver
- Recurrent infections, often with fevers (due to low white cell count)
- Ease in bruising and bleeding (due to low platelet count)
- Night sweats
- Swollen lymph nodes (rare)
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Tests may include:
- Blood tests
- Bone marrow biopsy —removal of a sample of bone marrow tissue to test for cancer cells
- CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of the spleen and the liver