Cerebral solitary Langerhans cell histiocytosis: report of two cases and review of the literature

Br J Neurosurg. 2005 Apr;19(2):192-7. doi: 10.1080/02688690500145944.

Abstract

Cerebral solitary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a very uncommon condition. We describe two new cases: a 30-year-old man with seizures and a tumour in the left frontal lobe, which was composed of a polymorphic infiltrate with a predominance of histiocytes and eosinophils; and a 65-year-old man with headaches and dysarthria, with a left parietal tumour, which showed a diffuse proliferation of histiocytic cells and areas of necrosis. In both cases, the histiocytes were strongly positive for S-100 and CD1a, and Birbeck's granules were demonstrated by electron microscopy in the first case. Both patients underwent a complete excision of their lesions. The second patient received additional postoperative radiotherapy. They were asymptomatic after 26 and 27 months, respectively. It seems that cerebral solitary LCH is a clinicopathological entity with a good outcome. Only 15 cases of this rare process have been previously reported in the English literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, CD1 / metabolism
  • Cytoplasmic Granules / ultrastructure
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / metabolism
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • S100 Proteins / metabolism
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antigens, CD1
  • S100 Proteins