Treatment of patients with hypothalamic-pituitary lesions as adult-onset Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Int J Hematol. 2011 Dec;94(6):556-60. doi: 10.1007/s12185-011-0955-z. Epub 2011 Oct 21.

Abstract

We report four cases of adult-onset Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) with central nervous system (CNS) lesions in the hypothalamic-pituitary region. The first clinical symptoms were diabetes insipidus (two patients), hypothyroidism (one patient), and decreased libido/erectile dysfunction (one patient). Diagnosis was delayed as the CNS lesion was not initially suspected to be secondary to LCH, with a median time from symptom onset to treatment of 3.0 (range <1-5.3) years. In three patients, the tumor mass was effectively reduced by chemotherapy; however, all patients continue to exhibit hypopituitarism. Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment are required to improve the outcome of CNS-LCH in adult patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / diagnosis*
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / pathology
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / pathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pituitary Gland / pathology*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult