[Clinical features and therapeutic results in 14 cases of malignant histiocytosis in childhood].

Fourteen children, 4 males and 10 females, with malignant histiocytosis (MH) were treated between July 1980 and June 1986. None of them had an affected sibling with a similar disorder. Septic-type fever was the most prominent symptom in all cases. Hepatosplenomegaly was present in 13 cases, lymphadenopathy, skin rash and jaundice in 8, pulmonary infiltration or pleural effusion on chest X-ray in 8, convulsion in 6, and renal involvement in 5 out of the 14 cases. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was seen in 13 cases and this occurred within two weeks from onset in 6 cases. Pancytopenia, abnormal results of liver function tests, hypofibrinogenemia and hypocholesterolemia were common. The diagnosis was made for all 14 cases by characteristic clinical symptoms, signs, and bone marrow findings. In 8 cases, biopsy or autopsy specimens confirmed the diagnosis. Two patients died prior to chemotherapy. Twelve patients were treated with adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (ACOP). Complete response (CR) was achieved in five patients, and another two patients attained CR after subsequent treatment with other combinations including VP 16-213. These 7 complete responders are now alive and free of disease 11+ to 70+ months (median, 50+ months) from the onset of disease. All partial and non-responders died within 6 months with a median survival of 20 days. Among several clinical features as prognostic indicators, renal involvement, convulsion, and DIC occurring within 2 weeks were significantly related to poor outcome. Although MH is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, prompt diagnosis and early treatment with intensive systemic combination chemotherapy should further improve the outcome.