Isolated Adult Gastrointestinal Tract Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis—Report of Two Rare Patients with Review of Literature

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder marked by monoclonal proliferation of Langerhans cells, primarily affecting the skin and bones. Isolated gastrointestinal tract involvement by Langerhans cell histiocytosis in adults is exceedingly rare, with only a few examples documented to date. Here, we report two patients with adult Langerhans cell histiocytosis with gastrointestinal tract involvement, accompanied by <i>BRAF</i> mutation analysis. Patient 1 was a 51-year-old man presenting with intermittent abdominal pain. Colonoscopy revealed five polyps, with histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmation of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. <i>BRAF</i> testing was positive for the <i>V600E</i> mutation. Patient 2 was a 76-year-old woman, who presented with anemia and recurrent <i>C. difficile</i> colitis, leading to gastrointestinal distress and weight loss. Colonoscopy revealed two polyps which on pathologic evaluation were diagnosed as Langerhans cell histiocytosis. <i>BRAF</i> testing was negative. Both the patients exhibited benign clinical course with no multisystem involvement. Though Langerhans cell histiocytosis involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is uncommon in adults, it should be considered in differential diagnoses when histiocytic proliferation is observed.

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Journal
International Journal of Surgical Pathology
Published
2025-04-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/10668969251332307
Primary Topic
Histiocytic Disorders and Treatments
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article
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article

Isolated Adult Gastrointestinal Tract Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis—Report of Two Rare Patients with Review of Literature

Sameer Al Diffalha, Abrar G. Alghamdi, Samuel Borak, Eric Ollila et al.
International Journal of Surgical Pathology
Histiocytic Disorders and Treatments
article

Isolated Adult Gastrointestinal Tract Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis—Report of Two Rare Patients with Review of Literature

Sameer Al Diffalha, Abrar G. Alghamdi, Samuel Borak, Eric Ollila, Ekta Jain, Fatme Ghandour
article en

Abstract

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder marked by monoclonal proliferation of Langerhans cells, primarily affecting the skin and bones. Isolated gastrointestinal tract involvement by Langerhans cell histiocytosis in adults is exceedingly rare, with only a few examples documented to date. Here, we report two patients with adult Langerhans cell histiocytosis with gastrointestinal tract involvement, accompanied by <i>BRAF</i> mutation analysis. Patient 1 was a 51-year-old man presenting with intermittent abdominal pain. Colonoscopy revealed five polyps, with histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmation of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. <i>BRAF</i> testing was positive for the <i>V600E</i> mutation. Patient 2 was a 76-year-old woman, who presented with anemia and recurrent <i>C. difficile</i> colitis, leading to gastrointestinal distress and weight loss. Colonoscopy revealed two polyps which on pathologic evaluation were diagnosed as Langerhans cell histiocytosis. <i>BRAF</i> testing was negative. Both the patients exhibited benign clinical course with no multisystem involvement. Though Langerhans cell histiocytosis involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is uncommon in adults, it should be considered in differential diagnoses when histiocytic proliferation is observed.

International Journal of Surgical PathologyVol. 33(7)
University of Alabama at Birmingham (US)
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 90%
Histiocytic Disorders and Treatments
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