Langerhans cell histiocytosis: update for the pediatrician

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is the commonest of the histiocytic disorders. Owing to the relative rarity of the condition, it remains a disease in which the diagnosis is often delayed or missed and in which many questions remain unanswered, ranging from etiology and pathogenesis to therapy. The management is often frustrating for care-givers and parents/patients. The purpose of the review is therefore to raise awareness of the disease and to highlight the clinical findings that should make the pediatrician or primary care-giver suspect the diagnosis, as well as current thinking regarding management of the various and diverse manifestations of this disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

We discuss new and interesting insights into the biology of Langerhans cell histiocytosis that raise the possibility of future targeted therapy. Important points in the diagnosis, investigation and management of the various forms of the disease are also discussed.

SUMMARY

We present a review of childhood Langerhans cell histiocytosis, highlighting new insights into pathogenesis and management of the various forms of this complex disease.

CNS involvement of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Report of 23 surgically treated cases

We present 23 cases of Langerhans cell histiocytosis with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. The major complaints were a mass on the cranial vault in fifteen (65%), visual disturbance in four (16%), polyurea-polydipsia in three (13%), and progressive weakness in all extremities in one patient (4%). Neurological examination revealed no abnormality in sixteen patients (70%), cranial nerve palsy, visual field defect and optic atrophy in six (26%) and paraparesis in one (4%). Tumoral mass was found to be located on the cranial vault (65%), in the suprasellar region (21%) and in the spinal column (8%). The cranium and spinal column were both involved in one patient. All patients underwent surgery; craniectomy with grossly total tumor excision plus cranioplasty (65%), craniotomy with subtotal tumor excision (26%), and vertebrectomy with grafting (13%) were performed. The clinical, radiological and histopathological features, as well as therapeutical considerations are discussed and the pertinent literature is reviewed.

Isolated intramedullary histiocytosis-X of the cervical spinal cord. Case report

Histiocytosis-X is known to involve the central nervous system, but rarely does this disease involve the spinal cord. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case of isolated intramedullary histiocytosis-X of the spinal cord to be reported.