ABSTRACT
Multiple cystic lung diseases comprise a wide range of various diseases, some of them of genetic origin. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a disease occurring almost exclusively in women, sporadically or in association with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Patients with LAM present with lymphatic complications, renal angiomyolipomas and cystic lung disease responsible for spontaneous pneumothoraces and progressive respiratory insufficiency. TSC and LAM have been ascribed to mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 genes. Patients with TSC are variably affected by cutaneous, cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations, epilepsy, cerebral and renal tumors, usually of benign nature. Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is caused by mutations in FLCN encoding folliculin. This syndrome includes lung cysts of basal predominance, cutaneous fibrofolliculomas and various renal tumors. The main complications are spontaneous pneumothoraces and renal tumors requiring systematic screening. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is involved in the pathophysiology of TSC, sporadic LAM and Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. MTOR inhibitors are used in LAM and in TSC while Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome does not progress towards chronic respiratory failure. Future challenges in these often under-recognized diseases include the need to reduce the delay to diagnosis, and to develop potentially curative treatments. In France, physicians can seek help from the network of reference centers for the diagnosis and management of rare pulmonary diseases.
