Epidemiology

Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is uncommon. The incidence rate in the US has been estimated to be 0.3 per 100,000 (2011-2012 data; age adjusted to the US standard population).[3] There were an estimated 1100 new cases of HCL in the US in 2016.[3]

In the US, incidence of HCL is highest among non-Hispanic white people (0.5 per 100,000, age adjusted to the US standard population), followed by non-Hispanic black people (0.3 per 100,000), Hispanic people (0.3 per 100,000), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (0.2 per 100,000).[3]

The incidence of HCL in the UK is estimated to be 0.34 per 100,000 per year (2005-2019 data).[4] 

Median age at diagnosis has variously been reported as 55-67 years.[4][5][6][7][8]

HCL is more common in males (male:female incidence rate ratio of 2.77 [2011-2012 US data]).[3] Occupational exposures (e.g., farming, industrial, engineering) may contribute to sex differences.[5][9][10]​​[11][12]

HCL appears to occur more commonly in the western hemisphere (e.g., US, UK) than other regions (e.g., Japan, Africa), although accurate epidemiological data for other regions are lacking.[13][14]

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