Outcomes of hairy cell leukaemia (HCL)
Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is a slow-growing blood cancer. Treatments for HCL are very effective at controlling it. As a result, many people have excellent outcomes after treatment. Most people with HCL have long periods of remission after treatment. They tend to live long lives, similar to people without HCL.
Treatment outcomes in HCL
Current treatments for HCL aim to keep it under control rather than to cure it. They are usually very successful.
- Most people with HCL respond well to treatment and go into remission. This is when blood or bone marrow tests after treatment find little or no leukaemia left in your body.
- Remission often lasts for a long time - around 15 years on average. Some people relapse much sooner than this. Others never relapse.
- About 5 in every 10 people with HCL relapse at some point. About 5 in every 10 do not.
- If your HCL relapses, you usually have another course of treatment. This might be the same treatment you had the first time, or a different one.
It is important to remember that these numbers are averages. They cannot tell you what will happen in individual situations. They look at what happened to groups of people with a similar diagnosis in the past. They're based on data collected over many years, at times, using different treatments.
We cannot predict how long your HCL will stay in remission following treatment.
Your haematology team can talk to you about your likely outcomes from treatment. They can take your individual circumstances into account.
Life expectancy for people with HCL
In general, people with HCL live long lives, similar to the general population.
Most people with HCL can expect to live about as long as people without HCL.
If you want to know as much as possible about your outlook, talk to your haematology team. They can take into consideration everything they know about you, your HCL and the care they can offer you.
If you are struggling to come to terms with your diagnosis, you can speak to us on our helpline on 08088 010 444.
Sources
Bohn JP, Neururer S, Pirklbauer M, Pircher A, Wolf D. Hairy cell leukemia patients have a normal life expectancy—A 35-year single-center experience and comparison with the general population. Cancers. 2022 Feb 28;14(5):1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14051242 [Accessed Nov 2025]
Else M, Dearden CE, Catovsky D. Long-term follow-up after purine analogue therapy in hairy cell leukaemia. Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology. 2015 Dec 1;28(4):217-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beha.2015.09.004 [Accessed Nov 2025]
Le Normand N, Cornet E, JM P, Lancesseur C, Maitre E, Bardet H, Damaj G, Troussard X. Gender and prognosis profiles in hairy cell leukemia: insights from a population-based study (1996-2021). Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma and Leukemia. 2025 Jul 22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clml.2025.07.010 [Accessed Dec 2025]
Parry-Jones N, Joshi A, Forconi F, Dearden C. Guideline for diagnosis and management of Hairy Cell Leukaemia (HCL) and Hairy Cell Variant (HCL-V) a British Society for Haematology Guideline. British Journal of Haematology. 2020 Oct 14;191(5):730-7. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.17055 [Accessed Oct 2025]
Troussard X, Maître E, Paillassa J. Hairy cell leukemia 2024: Update on diagnosis, risk‐stratification, and treatment—Annual updates in hematological malignancies. American Journal of Hematology. 2024 Apr;99(4):679-96. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.27240 [Accessed Nov 2025]
Need support?
You are not alone. We're here for you whether you have a diagnosis yourself or know someone who has. If you'd like advice, support, or a listening ear, call our freephone helpline on 08088 010 444 or send a WhatsApp message to 07500 068 065.
Help us improve our information
We aim to provide information that’s reliable, up-to-date, and covers what matters to you. Please complete our short survey to help us improve our information and make sure it meets your needs.
About our information
This information is aimed at people in the UK. We do our best to make sure it is accurate and up to date but it should not replace advice from your health professional. Find out more about our information.
Page last reviewed: 29 January 2026
Updated January 2026
Next review due: 29 January 2029
Related Topics
Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL)
Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is a rare type of slow-growing blood cancer. Under a microscope, …
Support and community
Leukaemia Care support people affected by leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms. Find out about …
A to Z of leukaemia: what the words mean
Being diagnosed with leukaemia can be overwhelming. You might read or hear medical terms that …
Need help understanding this information?
Our support team is here to answer your questions and provide guidance.
Contact Support