2026 Scientific Conference: Interviews with HCL Experts
We invited CURE, a resource for patients with cancer, to attend the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation 2026 Scientific Conference.
At the conference, CURE met with our experts to highlight research, treatment, and patient-focused care for hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and HCL Variant (HCLv). Highlights and individual interviews are available below.
Hairy Cell Leukemia with Kidney Failure: A Path to Transplant
In this two-minute video, Dr. Jacqueline Barrientos shares the story of a 72-year-old man whose HCL diagnosis put his kidney transplant plans on hold. Learn how treatment tailored to his situation, his care team’s persistence, and a stranger’s kidney donation helped him move forward.
Highlights
Choosing treatment: How his kidney failure influenced the decision to use targeted therapy.
Overcoming barriers: Why controlling HCL was only the first step toward receiving a transplant.
Finding support: How an unexpected donor and a determined care team helped make the transplant possible.
Looking ahead: Two years after transplantation, his kidney was working well, and his HCL remained in remission.
CAR T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed HCL
In this two-and-a-half-minute video, Dr. Robert Kreitman discusses an experimental CAR T-cell therapy for people whose HCL has returned after several treatments. Learn how this approach uses a person’s own immune cells to target CD22, a protein found on hairy cells.
Highlights
Exploring another option: Why researchers are studying CAR T-cell therapy for people who have already received multiple HCL treatments.
Understanding the experience: What Dr. Kreitman shares about potential side effects and the importance of treatment timing.
An encouraging case: One person with extensively treated HCL had no detectable disease for more than two and a half years after CAR T-cell therapy.
Looking ahead: Why these early results offer hope—and why further research is needed to understand whether lasting responses could represent a cure.
2025 Scientific Conference: Interviews with HCL Experts
We invited CURE, a resource for patients with cancer, to attend the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation 2025 Scientific Conference.
At the conference, CURE spoke with our experts to highlight research, treatment, and patient-focused care for hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and HCL Variant (HCLv). You can view highlights and individual interviews below.
Advancing Research and Improving Patient Care in Hairy Cell Leukemia
Dr. Rogers speaks about how working together can help improve care for people with HCL. She points out that there are ongoing efforts to meet important patient needs, fill knowledge gaps like those about fertility, and keep treatment guidelines up to date with the latest advances.
Presentation and Possible Complications in HCL
Dr. El-Sharkawi says that hairy cell leukemia can be difficult to detect early because patients often have mild symptoms and low blood counts are often discovered by chance during routine checkups. She also mentions rare and unusual cases, highlighting the need for doctors to remain alert to identify complications and treat them quickly.
Rituximab Combinations Show Longer Remissions in Hairy Cell Leukemia
Dr. Ravandi explains that adding rituximab to standard chemotherapy or targeted therapies can help patients achieve longer-lasting remissions. He points to new evidence showing that starting with these combinations may give patients the best chance to manage the disease and improve their long-term outlook.
Insights on Fertility and Survivorship in Hairy Cell Leukemia
Dr. Gozzetti pointed out that fertility and reproductive health are important but often ignored parts of survivorship in HCL. He stressed the importance of collecting better data, especially through patient registries, to understand how treatments affect patients and help them get back to a normal life.