Adult Histiocyte Disorders Center

Treatment for all types of histiocyte disorders

At Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center's Adult Histiocyte Disorders Center, our experts use novel approaches to the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of all adult histiocyte disorders, including:

• Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH): the most common histiocyte disorder; results from the body's overproduction of immature histiocytes, which are a type of white blood cell
• Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD): An extremely rare form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis, with only a few hundred cases reported in the literature
• Histiocytic sarcoma (HS): Also an extremely rare form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis – a disease of blood-derived cells
• Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD): An exceedingly rare disease, more commonly found in children, but also occurring in adults
• Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG): Also exceedingly rare; can mimic ECD, but is often treated differently

Learn more about histiocyte disorders.

Evaluation and diagnosis

Techniques for diagnosing histiocyte disorders include:

• Biopsy, performed by our interventional radiologists and surgical oncologists
• Genetic analysis
• Radiology
• Laboratory testing

Often, patients have had biopsies elsewhere before coming to our Center. But whether performed here or elsewhere, our pathologists – recognized experts in histiocyte disorders – review all initial biopsies. This means that, in essence, all our patients at our Center receive a second pathology opinion.

Sub-specialists can also play a role in diagnosing histiocyte disease – for example:

• Dermatologists can perform skin biopsies, either to establish the diagnosis or see if the disease is affecting the skin
• Radiologists can review the imaging and describe the patterns of radiographic involvement
• Endocrinologists can help establish the diagnosis
• Genetic testing can search for inherited tendencies or potential targets for treatment

Personalized treatment plans

The appropriate treatment for histiocyte disorders is dictated by:

• The nature and extent of the disease
• The results of genetic profiling of the disease (occasionally)
• Other medical illnesses, which can make certain treatments more feasible and appropriate than others

Treatments can include:

• Drugs and chemotherapy
• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Oral medications
• Clinical trials
• Stem cell transplant