title: Langerhans cell histiocytosis: old disease new treatment.
abstract: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) has been previously thought of as a rare illness, but is now increasingly diagnosed as a result of the more intensive investigations of patients with cystic pulmonary disease. In recent years, treatments developed from our new understanding of the molecular biology of malignant disease have been applied to patients with LCH, and responses seen. In this review, we describe the origins, presentation and modern treatment of LCH, showing that there is new hope for patients with this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Cancer, Imperial College London, Garry Weston Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ng-Cheng-Hin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Hanlon-Brown
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alifrangis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waxman
mesh_terms: D017338:Cladribine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D017338:Cladribine; D013792:Thalidomide