title: Distinctive growth pattern in a patient with a delayed diagnosis of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis.
abstract: We present a 22-year old male patient previously treated with radiotherapy and surgery at the age of 7 for an undefined suprachiasmatic mass. Following treatment he gradually became morbidly obese and besides subsequent panhypopituitarism he achieved his target height probably due to obesity-induced severe hyperinsulinemia. At the age of 21 Langerhans' cell histiocytosis was diagnosed at the right mandible and was surgically treated. One year later he developed a further painful osteolytic hip lesion and a single zoledronate infusion eliminated all symptoms. We highlight the importance of obtaining a histological diagnosis before initiating treatment, and the distinctive course of the disease in a patient who continued to growth besides GH deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, 424 Military Hospital, 4 Soulini st, 566 25, Sykies, Thessaloniki, Greece. anastath@endo.gr
authors.forename: Athanasios D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Anastasilakis
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kaltsas
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delimpasis
authors.forename: Ludwig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilkens
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kanakis
authors.forename: Polyzois
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makras
mesh_terms: D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult