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Spontaneous transient remission of disseminated histiocytosis X during pregnancy

  • Original Paper
  • Clinical Oncology
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Abstract

Disseminated histiocytosis X with cutaneous and lymph node involvement was diagnosed in a 25-year-old women. The diagnosis was established on the basis of a positive cell-surface staining with OKT 6 and typical signs on electron microscopy. Both the specific skin rash and lymph node swelling completely disappeared during pregnancy, but recurred 2 weeks before delivery. Therapeutic trials with 0.25 mg ethinylestradiol/day and a later application of human chorionic gonadotropin up to 5000 IU i.m. twice weekly as well as prednisolone 25 mg three times per day were unsuccessful. A second pregnancy was not desired. Polychemotherapy with initial high-dose prednis-olone plus vincristine and a consolidation therapy with 5-mercaptopurine 300 mg/day led to full recovery. The observation of transient remission of histiocytosis X during pregnancy suggests that at least some forms of this disease may have prevailing immunological features where an immunosuppressive effect of pregnancy could be beneficial.

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Abbreviations

hcG:

human chorionic gonadotropin

LH:

luteotropin

FSH:

follicle-stimulating hormone

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Author notes

  1. W. A. Scherbaum

    Present address: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik III, University of Leipzig, Ph.-Rosenthal-Strasse 27, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Germany

    W. A. Scherbaum

  2. Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany

    F. J. Seif

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Scherbaum, W.A., Seif, F.J. Spontaneous transient remission of disseminated histiocytosis X during pregnancy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 121, 57–60 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01202730

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01202730

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