Indomethacin is an effective treatment in adults and children with bone
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH)
Abstract
Sixty-three patients with LCH (54 adults, 9 children), with unifocal or
multifocal bone lesions were treated with indomethacin. All but one
patient achieved a response, that was complete in 52% of them. Overall,
5-year reactivation-free survival was 72%, significantly higher in
patients treated with indomethacin as first-line (81.7% vs 52.5%;
p=0.01); in those who received indomethacin as single agent (80.5% vs
36.5%, p=0.005); and in those with unifocal disease (90.9% vs 48.1%,
p=0.003). Our results confirmed the efficacy of indomethacin in bone LCH
both as front-line treatment and after reactivations, in localized, or
more extended disease, with minimal side effects.