Type : Other, mainly phenotypes with suspected mendelian basis;
Alternative titles and symbols : LCH;
Description : Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterized by the dysregulated
proliferation of Langerhans cells and subsequent organ infiltration. Clinical manifestations
range from a spontaneously healing isolated osteolytic lesion to a lymphoma-like syndrome
with fatal multiorgan failure, in the absence of any cellular evidence of malignancy.
Although the disease can present at any age, the peak age at diagnosis is between
1 and 3 years (summary by Arico et al., 1999). Egeler and D'Angio (1995) presented
a classification of histiocytosis syndromes in children: class I, Langerhans cell
histiocytosis (LCH); class II, histiocytosis of mononuclear macrophages other than
Langerhans cells, including familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (267700);
and class III, malignant histiocytic disorders, including histiocytic lymphoma.;