Laryngeal Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Objective: To describe a case of laryngeal Langerhans cell histiocytosis, discuss its characteristic features and management, and provide a review of the available literature. Methods: A patient presenting to a tertiary care medical center with dyspnea and hoarseness is described. A literature review of laryngeal Langerhans cell histiocytosis cases was performed through a search of articles indexed in the National Institutes of Health PubMed system. Results: We report a case of a 69-year old male, who presented with a laryngeal mass highly suspicious for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, was treated with laser excision, and was subsequently found to have laryngeal Langerhans cell histiocytosis upon histological analysis. Including our current case, we found six prior reported cases of laryngeal Langerhans cell histiocytosis in the literature. Of the six cases, four were in adults, while two were in children. Dyspnea is a common presenting complaint present in all cases. Smoking may be a potential risk factor. Conclusions: Laryngeal Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare condition and an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with a laryngeal mass and symptoms of dyspnea or hoarseness. Biopsy and histopathological analysis are key to the diagnosis. Surgical excision and radiotherapy are successful treatments used in clinical practice.