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Langerhans' cell histiocytosis: paediatric head and neck study
A Y al-Ammar1, T L Tewfik, M Bond
1Department of Otolaryngology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
Objective:
This study presents the experience of the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) with Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) and reviews the new advances in diagnosis and therapy of this disorder.
Design:
Retrospective study of 20 patients seen between July 1986 and July 1997 diagnosed with LCH.
Methods:
All of the 20 charts were examined for variables including age, sex, area involved, treatment modalities, and complications.
Result:
Sixty-five percent of patients presented with localized lesions and 35% with multisystem involvement. The most common involved area was the skull, and 57% of skull lesions involved frontal bone. The temporal bone was involved in 25% of cases. The most common ear symptom was otorrhea.
Conclusion:
Langerhans' cell histiocytosis is a rare paediatric disorder. Head and neck involvement occurs frequently in both localized and multisystem disease. The prognosis is highly dependent on the age and number of systems involved.