Histiocytosis Team Publishes Groundbreaking Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Research in Blood Journal

A nationwide study, published in Blood (American Society of Hematology), could revolutionize the standard of care for pediatric Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) patients.

The study reveals that pre-therapy genetic mutations in myeloid cells can better predict clinical risks than current approaches. It also highlights the importance of leveraging the latest molecular studies and imaging to identify rare disease cells that standard histology might miss.

As a highly collaborative effort, the project brought together researchers from our Center, Baylor College of Medicine, UPMC, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and other national centers.

Congratulations to Dr. Ken McClain, Dr. Carl Allen, Akanksha Batajoo, Howard Lin, and the entire team for this groundbreaking work! Also, thank you to the following agencies for supporting this work: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DoD), St. Baldrick's Foundation, the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Histio CURE Foundation, and the Sauer Family Histiocytosis Program.

BCM news release: https://www.bcm.edu/news/mutated-blood-cells-define-clinical-risks-in-langerhans-cell-histiocytosis-paving-the-way-for-better-diagnosis-and-treatment

Scientific article: https://ashpublications.org/blood/article-abstract/doi/10.1182/blood.2024026671/536429/Diagnostic-BRAFV600E-blood-predicts-treatment