[Successful treatment of B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL) with FCR-Lite (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab) protocol].

B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL) is a rare disorder characterized by marked lymphocytosis in the peripheral blood, matured lymphocytic infiltration in the bone marrow and splenomegaly. It has a distinct immunophenotype (CD19, CD20, CD22, FMC7, intensive surface immunoglobulin positivity) which helps to differentiate from other lymphoproliferative malignancies. It has a poor prognosis and its treatment is unsettled. The authors present a case of a patient with typical B-PLL treated with FCR-Lite (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab) protocol achieving complete hematological (and immunophenotypic) remission. The treatment was well tolerated. Neither major infective complication nor tumor lysis syndrome was observed. According to the author's experience the FCR-Lite protocol can not only be used in patients with CLL but it also can be effective in patients with B-PLL. No clinical experience has been reported yet in the literature with this protocol.