What is LCH dermatology?
Table of Contents
What is LCH dermatology?
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) refers to a reactive increase in the number of Langerhans cells in the skin and other organs (see histiocytoses).
What is Langerhans cell histiocytosis?
Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body. Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease that begins in LCH cells. LCH cells are a type of dendritic cell that normally helps the body fight infection.
What is the histologic characteristic of Langhans cells?
It consists of an intracytoplasmic membranous body that is 33 nm wide and 190-360 nm long, possessing a short, rodlike shape with a dotted line down the midline of the space between the membranes (resembling a zipper) and a terminal expansion in the form of a vesicle, giving a racquet appearance.
How is Langerhans cell histiocytosis diagnosed?
How is Langerhans cell histiocytosis diagnosed? Your child’s doctor may order special x-rays, a CT scan, or blood tests. The extra immune cells produced by this condition may form tumors, which can affect parts of the body like the bones. These tumors produce a punched-out appearance on a bone x-ray.
What are the symptoms of Langerhans cell histiocytosis?
Other signs and symptoms that may occur in Langerhans cell histiocytosis, depending on which organs and tissues have Langerhans cell deposits, include swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), delayed puberty, protruding eyes, dizziness, irritability, and seizures.
Where are Langhans giant cells found?
Langhans giant cells typically form at the centre of granulomas (aggregates of macrophages) and are found in the tubercle, or primary focus of infection, in tuberculosis, in lesions of syphilis, leprosy, and sarcoidosis, and in fungal infections.
What causes Langerhans cell histiocytosis in adults?
When cells are making too many copies of themselves, this causes LCH lesions to grow. There is a specific gene called BRAF that has a mutation in about one half of LCH tumors. Recent research has identified other genes with mutations in LCH lesions but this requires further research.
What does giant cells mean?
A giant cell (multinucleated giant cell, multinucleate giant cell) is a mass formed by the union of several distinct cells (usually histiocytes), often forming a granuloma.
What causes giant cells?
Giant cells are formed by fusion of various cells such as macrophage, epithelioid cells, monocytes, etc., These are multi-nucleated,[1] large in size, and most of the times present at the site of chronic inflammation and other granulomatous conditions.
Is Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis benign or malignant?
This suggests that LCH is a type of neoplastic disease (a disease grouping that includes benign, pre-cancerous and cancerous growths). Langerhans cell histiocytosis may occur at any age, but is most common in young children under 10. LCH is classified as either unifocal (one site) or multifocal (multiple sites).
Can LCH be cured?
As with some types of cancer, doctors sometimes treat LCH with chemotherapy. Many people with the disorder get care from cancer specialists like oncologists and haematologists. But unlike most cancers, limited forms of LCH sometimes spontaneously go away on their own.
What are symptoms of giant cell tumor?
What are the symptoms of a giant cell tumor?
- A visible mass.
- Bone fracture.
- Fluid buildup in the joint nearest the affected bone.
- Limited movement in the nearest joint.
- Swelling.
- Pain at the nearest joint.