title: Healing rates of treated and untreated bone lesions in histiocytosis X.
abstract: Evaluation of the response of histiocytosis X to various forms of treatment is difficult, because presentation patterns are protean and the disease can be self-limited. A retrospective evaluation was made of the healing of 42 histiocytosis X bone lesions, in 21 patients treated in variety of ways, using serial radiographs and a semiquantitative scoring system. Treatments included various combinations of surgery (simple biopsy or curettage), radiotherapy (200 to 1,200 centi-Gray [cGy]), chemotherapy (according to various protocols), and local steroid injection. Median times to a given degree of healing were similar across treatment groups and in untreated lesions. It was concluded that mode of treatment does not exert a strong influence on the rate of healing of histiocytosis X bone lesions. Some healing should be apparent 4 months after diagnosis, but complete healing may take many months. Treatment of histiocytosis X bone lesions is indicated only if intense pain or risk of fracture or deformity are present.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014945:Wound Healing