Treatment options in skeletal localizations of hairy cell leukemia: a systematic review on the role of radiation therapy.

Skeletal localizations are a rare complication in hairy cell leukaemia patients, with an estimated incidence of 3%. These lesions, mainly osteolytic, can occur at various sites and are almost always symptomatic. Localized radiation therapy (RT) has been extensively used as effective palliative treatment in such cases, with different total doses and fractionation schedules. In this article, a systematic review of all reported cases with osseous complications is presented, to underline the role of RT and to define the most appropriate approach in this subset of patients. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.