[Oral manifestations of Lpngerhans' cell histiocytosis. Therapeutic strategies involving oral and maxillofacial surgery].

The definition of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (formerly known as histiocytosis X) includes the clinical syndromes Hand-Schüller-Christian syndrome, Abt-Letterer-Siwe syndrome and eosinophilic granuloma, which in the past were considered separate entities. The prognosis of this disease varies between "favorable" and "infaust", depending on the age of the patient at first manifestation and the number of the organs involved. With the aid of various prospective clinical studies, suitable therapeutic schemes are currently being sought for. In the course of this search chemotherapy is gaining in significance and radiation therapy is merely playing a minor role. The surgical status has not changed inasmuch as it concerns solitary "operable" lesions. Based on three case reports from our clinic, different courses of illness are described. Oral manifestations of a Langerhans' cell histiocytosis have to be considered, especially with regard to therapy-resistant parodontopathies or with radiologically conspicuous, unexplained osteolysis. The immunohistological and electronic microscopic examinations confirm the diagnosis. The etiology of the disease has still not been clarified.