Malignant histiocytosis in the oropharynx.
Malignant histiocytosis is characterized by systemic, progressive, and invasive proliferation of malignant histiocytes. The disorder is typically accompanied by fever, general fatigue, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. A case of a 21-year-old woman with primary malignant histiocytosis of the oropharynx is reported. Histologic diagnosis from the biopsy specimen was confused by infiltration of normal-appearing histiocytes and inflammatory cells. The titers of Epstein-Barr virus and the Paul-Bunnell test were elevated without atypical lymphocytes. The patient died 3.5 months after the onset of symptoms. Autopsy revealed systemic neoplastic proliferation of malignant histiocytes. A review of literature on this subject revealed no cases of malignant histiocytosis primarily involving the oropharynx.
D000328:Adult; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000473:pathology; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology