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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2018; 39(04): 543-545
DOI: 10.4103/ijmpo.ijmpo_73_17
Case Report

Lower Intestinal Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Masquerading as Chronic Malabsorption Syndrome and Failure to Thrive in a Child: A Rare Case Presented with a Succinct Review of Recent Literature

Mayur Keshav Suryawanshi
Departments of Pathology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Tanush Vig
Departments of Pathology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Dipti Masih
Departments of Pathology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Reny Joseph
Departments of Pediatrics, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
› Author Affiliations Financial support and sponsorship Nil.
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Abstract

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) encompasses a group of disorders characterized by neoplastic proliferation of Langerhans cells causing destruction of tissue, morbidity and mortality. The authors bring forth the case of a 2-year-old child presenting with chronic diarrhea and features of chronic malabsorption that revealed lesions over the ileocolonic mucosa. Histopathological examination with immunohistochemical expression for CD1a confirmed the diagnosis of LCH. Gastrointestinal LCH is quite uncommon, and review of the published English literature revealed about 50 reported cases. The importance of diagnosing this disease is echoed by the grim survival rate of 18 months from the time of diagnosis that is seen in around 60% of cases. Owing to its rarity and unfamiliarity of practicing physicians and pathologists of this disease at this site, the authors wish to discuss the potential pitfalls and differential diagnoses.

Keywords

CD1a - diarrhea - eosinophilic granuloma - malabsorption


Publication History

Article published online:
17 June 2021

© 2018. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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