Cutaneous Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the genitalia in the elderly: a report of three cases

J Cutan Pathol. 1998 Aug;25(7):370-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0560.1998.tb01760.x.

Abstract

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a disease with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations. All of the variants have in common the proliferation of cells which are morphologically, biochemically, and immunophenotypically indistinguishable from Langerhans cells. A retrospective study of three elderly patients revealed the unique presentation of cutaneous Langerhans cell histiocytosis limited to the genitalia. These cases produced a diagnostic challenge because of their unusual clinical presentation and their morphological similarity to certain other entities, including extramammary Paget's disease and malignant melanoma, which may also show S-100-positive atypical cells. All three cases showed infiltrates of histiocytic-appearing cells with folded nuclei and moderate amounts of cytoplasm which involved the epidermis, dermis, or both. Immunoperoxidase studies using antibody to S-100, CD1a and CD68 in each case showed positive staining.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Female
  • Genital Diseases, Female*
  • Genital Diseases, Male / pathology*
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Skin Diseases / pathology*