National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia

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Other Names:
Proliferation of large granular lymphocytes; T-LGL; T-cell LGL leukemia; Proliferation of large granular lymphocytes; T-LGL; T-cell LGL leukemia; Large Cell Granular Lymphogenous Leukemia; T-LGL leukemia See More
Categories:
T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia is a rare cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia causes a slow increase in white blood cells called T lymphocytes, or T cells, which originate in the lymph system and bone marrow and help to fight infection. This disease usually affects people in their sixties. Symptoms include anemia; low levels of platelets (thrombocytopenia) and infection-fighting neutrophils (neutropenia) in the blood; and an enlarged spleen. About one-third of patients are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. The exact cause of LGL leukemia is unknown. Doctors can diagnose this disease through a bone marrow biopsy, or by using a specialized technique in which various types of blood or bone marrow cells are separated, identified, and counted.[1]
Last updated: 8/2/2011

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Differential diagnosis includes CD56+ cell proliferative diseases and those associated with reactive LGL proliferation (solid tumors, connective tissue diseases, hemophagocytosis syndrome, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (see this term) and viral infections). When T-cell LGL leukemia is associated with rheumatoid arthritis, it can be difficult to distinguish from Felty syndrome (rheumatoid arthritis, neutropenia, and splenomegaly; see this term).
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Orphanet. May 2007; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Expert=86872&lng=EN. Accessed 8/2/2011.