The Rosai-Dorfman syndrome in a 17-year-old woman with transformation into high-grade lymphoma. A rare disease presentation

Rosai-Dorfman disease in the central nervous system with two isolated lesions originated from a single clone: a case report

BACKGROUND

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare, benign, idiopathic non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Cases of RDD in the CNS are extremely rare but lethal. RDD is thought to represent a reactive process. Recent studies proposed a subset of RDD cases that had a clonal nature. However, its clone origin is poorly understood.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a rare case of RDD in the CNS with two isolated lesions. These two lesions were removed successively after two operations. No seizure nor recurrence appears to date (2 years follow-up). Morphological and immunohistochemical profiles of these two lesions support the diagnosis of RDD. Based on the whole-exome sequencing (WES) data, we found the larger lesion has a higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) and more driver gene mutations than the smaller lesion. We also found seven common truncal mutations in these two lesions, raising the possibility that they might stem from the same ancestor clone.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this is the first report about clonal evolution of RDD in the CNS with two isolated lesions. Our findings contribute to the pathology of RDD, and support the notion that a subset of cases with RDD is a clonal histiocytic disorder driven by genetic alterations.

Rosai-Dorfman disease: an overview

CONTEXT

Rosai-Dorfman disease is an uncommon histiocytic disorder most frequently presenting as bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy in children and young adults. Extranodal disease occurs in a significant proportion of patients. It has been recently classified as part of the 'R group' of histiocytoses by the Histiocyte Society in 2016. Cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease is regarded as a separate disease entity that falls into the 'C group' of histiocytoses according to this classification system. The pathogenesis was previously poorly understood; however, recent evidence demonstrating clonality in a subset of cases raises the possibility of a neoplastic process. A possible association with IgG4-related disease remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To provide a comprehensive review of Rosai-Dorfman disease, including nodal, extranodal and cutaneous forms, with a particular emphasis on new insights into the possible clonal nature of the disease; to discuss the recently revised classification of the histiocytoses by the Histiocyte Society; and to summarise the findings from the literature regarding the controversial association with IgG4-related disease.

DATA SOURCES

This review is based on published peer-reviewed English literature.

CONCLUSIONS

Classic Rosai-Dorfman disease, which may be sporadic or familial, is considered a separate entity from cutaneous disease, which is reflected in the revised classification of histiocytoses. An increase in IgG4-positive plasma cells may be seen in Rosai-Dorfman disease. This finding in isolation is of limited significance and should be interpreted with caution. Studies investigating the molecular profile of the disease show that in at least a subset of cases the disease is a clonal process. The classification of Rosai-Dorfman disease is therefore likely to change as our understanding of the aetiopathogenesis evolves.

Focal Rosai-Dorfman disease coexisting with lymphoma in the same anatomic site: a localized histiocytic proliferation associated with MAPK/ERK pathway activation

Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare histiocytic disorder shown to have gene mutations that activate the MAPK/ERK pathway in at least one-third of cases. Most patients with Rosai-Dorfman disease present with bulky lymphadenopathy or extranodal disease, but rarely Rosai-Dorfman disease is detected concomitantly with lymphoma in the same biopsy specimen. The underlying molecular mechanisms of focal Rosai-Dorfman disease occurring in the setting of lymphoma have not been investigated. We report 12 cases of Rosai-Dorfman disease and lymphoma involving the same anatomic site. There were five men and seven women (age, 23 to 77 years) who underwent lymph node (n = 11) or skin (n = 1) biopsy; the lymphomas included nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 6), classical Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 4), small lymphocytic lymphoma (n = 1) and extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (n = 1). The foci of Rosai-Dorfman disease in all cases had S100 protein-positive histiocytes undergoing emperipolesis. No patients had Rosai-Dorfman disease at other anatomic sites at initial diagnosis and at last follow-up (median, 40 months). We performed immunohistochemical analysis to assess activity of the MAPK/ERK pathway in the Rosai-Dorfman disease foci. We also micro-dissected disease foci and analyzed 146 genes using next-generation sequencing in four cases with adequate DNA; the panel included genes previously reported to be mutated in Rosai-Dorfman disease. All cases were negative for gene mutations. Nevertheless, all cases were positive for cyclin D1 and most cases showed p-ERK expression indicating that the MAPK/ERK pathway is active in the histiocytes of focal Rosai-Dorfman disease. We conclude that focal Rosai-Dorfman disease coexisting with lymphoma is a clinically benign and localized histiocytic proliferation. These data also indicate that the MAPK/ERK pathway is active in focal Rosai-Dorfman disease although we did not identify activating mutations. These findings suggest that the pathogenesis of focal Rosai-Dorfman disease is different from that of usual cases of Rosai-Dorfman disease.

Isolated central nervous system Rosai-Dorfman disease and breast cancer: an unusual presentation

The association between Rosai-Dorfman Disease (RDD) and cancer was reported for the first time in 1984. However, there are still a small number of reports of this association. We describe a 60-year-old woman who presented with a focal onset motor seizure followed by tonic-clonic generalization and persistent headache. Magnetic Resonance Imaging disclosed an irregular hyperintense lesion in T2 and vasogenic edema in the left parietal region. Immunohistochemical analysis of a biopsy fragment was positive for protein S-100 and CD68 and negative for CD1a, compatible with the diagnosis of RDD. She previously had breast cancer six years earlier and had used tamoxifen for two years and anostrozol for three years after diagnosis of cancer. RDD has been already associated with different cancers, such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, melanoma, adenocarcinoma and small cell lung cancer. As far as we know, this is the first report of an association between breast cancer and RDD.

Rosai-Dorfman Disease Harboring an Activating KRAS K117N Missense Mutation

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) or sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy is a rare histiocytic proliferation that is generally considered to be reactive with a benign clinical course. The etiology of RDD is very poorly understood. Recent studies have shown frequent BRAF, NRAS, KRAS, and PIK3CA activating mutations in several histiocytic neoplasms highlighting the emerging importance of the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Here we report a case of Rosai-Dorfman disease involving the submandibular salivary gland with a KRAS K117N missense mutation discovered by next-generation sequencing. These results suggest that at least a subset of RDD cases may be clonal processes. Further mutational studies on this rare histiocytic disease should be undertaken to better characterize its pathogenesis as well as open up potential avenues for therapy.

Orbital Rosai-Dorfman disease: a literature review

INTRODUCTION

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare histiocytic proliferative disorder with a predilection for the head and neck. Isolated orbital involvement without systemic clinical features is very uncommon.

BACKGROUND

Classic histopathologic features include phagocytized but intact lymphocytes within large histiocytes; a conditioned termed emperipolesis. Immunohistochemical stains are strongly positive for S-100 and CD68 but negative for CD1a in most cases. Orbital cases are often amenable to complete surgical resection.

CONCLUSION

RDD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a young patient in good health who presents with a marked but benign enlargement of an orbital mass. A review of the literature regarding this disease entity and its orbital manifestations is discussed.

Concomitant sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman Disease) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, also known as Rosai-Dorfman Disease, is a rare and benign source of lymphadenopathy first described in 1969, which mimics neoplastic processes. This disease commonly presents in children and young adults with supra-diaphragmatic lymphadenopathy or extranodal lesions consisting of tissue infiltrates composed of a polyclonal population of histiocytes. Since its description greater than 400 cases have been described, sometimes in patients with a variety of treated and untreated neoplastic diseases. However, the literature contains reports of only 19 cases of Rosai-Dorfman Disease in association with lymphomas, Hodgkin's or non-Hodgkin's. The majority of these cases have the two diagnoses, malignant lymphoma and Rosai-Dorfman Disease, separated in time. Interestingly, infradiaphragmatic lymphadenopathy was a feature in the majority of previously reported cases of Rosai-Dorfman Disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

CASE PRESENTATION

This report provides details of a case with co-existing sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy and diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This case is the fifth described case of simultaneous Rosai-Dorfman Disease and concurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of a clinically aggressive diffuse large B cell lymphoma was made at autopsy. The aggressive biological behavior of the diffuse large B cell lymphoma in this patient may have been related to the underlying immune dysregulation believed to be part of the pathophysiology of Rosai-Dorfman Disease.

CONCLUSION

Taken together this report and the preceding reports of Rosai-Dorfman Disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma suggests that in cases with a diagnosis of Rosai-Dorfman Disease in the setting of prominent infradiaphragmatic lymphadenopathy, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for the presence of occult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma especially if the clinical course is atypical for classic Rosai-Dorfman Disease.

Intestinal occlusion caused by Rosai-Dorfman disease mimicking colonic diverticulitis

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) involves the gastrointestinal tract only in exceptional cases, and this very unusual site of presentation can confuse the pathologist. We present a case of RDD manifesting as an intestinal occlusion caused by colonic diverticulitis. The patient was a 79-year-old man with myelodysplasia, who presented with fever, abdominal pain, and constipation. Colonoscopy revealed sigmoiditis and diverticulosis. Microscopic study of the sigmoid colon surgical specimen showed the histological and immunological features of RDD. No human DNA of herpesvirus types 6 and 8 (HHV6/HHV8), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) was detected in tissue by polymerase chain reaction. Electron microscopic study revealed no microbes or viral particles. Widespread nodal and extranodal RDD occurred, and the patient died 2y after initial surgery. The etiology of RDD is still under debate. We discuss the association of RDD with hematological disorders.

The spectrum of orbital Rosai-Dorfman disease

PURPOSE

To describe the spectrum and treatment of orbital Rosai-Dorfman disease and to review previously documented cases.

METHODS

Retrospective, interventional case series of seven patients and literature review.

RESULTS

Each patient with Rosai-Dorfman disease had unique disease expression requiring aggressive therapy, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgical excision. One systemically aggressive case presented with intraocular and choroidal invasion, a previously unreported finding. Response to therapy was variable and unpredictable.

CONCLUSIONS

Rosai-Dorfman disease, although historically described as benign and self-limiting, may cause significant morbidity and mortality involving multiple organ systems. Available treatment options may not control the disease. Further research and long-term clinical correlation is necessary.

Rosai-Dorfman disease revealed in the upper airway: a case report and review of the literature

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a systemic disease and its etiology is not well understood. It is a very rare but established disease. We report a case of RDD diagnosed in the upper airway that became a life-threatening condition because of the stricture of the subglottic space. A 49-year-old female complained of nasal obstruction, hoarseness and lacrimation. After evaluation following by fiberscopic examination and CT scanning of the head and neck, sinusitis and laryngeal masses were detected. Endoscopic sinus surgery and endolaryngeal microsurgery were performed simultaneously. The masses in the nasal cavity and larynx showed the same histological findings. Proliferative large histiocytes with voluminous clear cytoplasm and rounded nuclei, and lymphophagocytosis known as emperipolesis are the characteristic features of RDD. In this case, extranodal manifestations in the subglottic space gradually emerged postoperatively. Tracheotomy was performed to ensure an airway and prevent suffocation. An extensive treatment is not required in most patients with RDD, however, some patients who have extranodal manifestations involving the airway may detoriorate into a life-threatening condition.

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy associated with malignant lymphoma

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML) is a distinct benign clinicopathological entity, characterized by painless enlargement of lymph nodes due to sinus histiocytosis. Here, we report a case of SHML with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. A 64-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of fever. He presented with enlargement of a small cervical lymph node and huge abdominal paraaortic lymphadenopathy. Cervical lymph node biopsy revealed SHML and bone marrow biopsy showed infiltration of large B-cell lymphoma. Several cases of SHML associated with lymphoma have been documented to date, but this type of simultaneous occurrence has not yet been reported.

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy and malignant lymphoma involving the same lymph node: a report of four cases and review of the literature

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), also known as Rosai-Dorfman disease, is a disorder of unknown cause. Rarely, patients with SHML also have malignant lymphoma, usually involving anatomic sites different from those involved by SHML We report four patients in whom SHML and malignant lymphoma were identified in the same lymph node biopsy specimen. The SHML in each case was present as a small focus, less than 1 cm. Immunohistochemical studies showed that the abnormal histiocytes were positive for S-100 and negative for CD1a. The malignant lymphomas included two cases of follicular lymphoma and two cases of Hodgkin's disease, nodular lymphocyte predominant type. The presence of SHML in these patients did not impact clinical decisions, and there was no evidence of SHML elsewhere. Thus, the presence of focal SHML associated with malignant lymphoma in these cases was an incidental histologic finding that seems not to have had any clinical significance.