Clinical research on childhood Langerhans cell histiocytosis with skin-limited lesion / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To understand the clinical characteristics and prognosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) with skin-limited lesion.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical characteristics and prognosis of 16 skin-limited LCH patients, out of 578 LCH patients who were hospitalized in Beijing Children′s Hospital during December 2013 to June 2018.Results:A total of 16 skin-limited LCH cases, accounted for 2.7% of all 578 cases, were included.Among which, sex ratio (male vs.female) was 1.28∶1.00.Median ages of skin eruption occurrence and of diagnosis of the disease were 3.5 months (3 days to 2 years and 5 months) and 6 months (2 months 14 days to 2 years and 8 months) in this group.Among the 16 cases, seborrheic dermatitis-like lesions(11 cases, 68.7%) was the most common, and the trunk was most frequently involved[75.0% (12 cases)]. Serine/threonine protein kinase gene V600E [ BRAF (p.V600E)] mutation was detected in pathological specimens from 10 skin-limi-ted cases, with 9 cases being positive.Plasma samples from 5 positive cases were further detected for BRAF (p.V600E) mutation, and 4 positive results were gained.Of all 16 patients, 11 cases (68.7%) were treated.Remission were achieved in 3-6 months from treatment start in patients treated whether according to the Histiocyte Society′s LCH-2009 protocol for 25 weeks(6 cases, 37.5%), or with topical mometasonefuroate for 3 months (3 cases, 18.8%). Two patients(12.5%) with solitary cutaneous lesions underwent excision biopsy (one face and one prepuce) and were considered to be in remission immediately after surgery.None of these patients suffered from the recurrence of the disease.The remaining 5 patients (31.3%) with skin-limited LCH were just evaluated regularly, and achieved remission in 3-6 months of commencing observation.Among these untreated patients, 1 with consistently positive BRAF (p.V600E) mutation in plasma had bone involvement in the 24 th month of assessment, and was then treated based on the Histiocyte Society′s LCH-2009 Protocol.No clinical or imageological evidence supporting disease progression was found on this patient.Median follow-up period was 32.8 months (2.9-63.9 months). Except one patient, none of the rest cases had active disease till follow-up ended.Two-year event free survival(EFS) of this research was (92.3± 7.4)%.There was no significant difference between EFS of treated group and that of observation group( χ2=1.250, P=0.264). Conclusions:Skin-limited LCH often occurs in infants and newborns, with strong heterogeneity in clinical manifestations, laboratory indicators, and pathogenesis.Seborrheic dermatitis-like lesions were the most common cutaneous type.The prognosis of the patients is excellent despite progressing into multisystem involvement can be seen in a few patients.