Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (PLCH)

Medications may be used to treat some cases of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis. Most often, doctors will recommend that people with PLCH stop smoking, and then they may prescribe certain medications. Often, corticosteroids are prescribed to... Full Answer

There's no exact numbers regarding how many people are affected by pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH), but it's not a very common disease. PLCH is one type of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, or histiocytosis X. In general, histiocytosis X... Full Answer

Pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a rare and serious lung disease that occurs in adults. People with PLCH experience breathing impairment that may range from mild to severe. PLCH affects adults of all backgrounds, but the disease almost... Full Answer

The cause of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH) isn't known, but there are certain factors that may increase your risk. One of the most significant risk factors for PLCH is smoking cigarettes. How many years you've been smoking and number of... Full Answer

The exact cause of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis is unknown, but it's thought that it may be caused by an abnormal immune response. Cells in the lungs may experience an inflammatory response to the toxins found in cigarette smoke. This... Full Answer

Treatment for pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis depends on the individual. In most cases, doctors will recommend that people with PLCH stop smoking. This alone can help reduce symptoms in many people. In some cases, doctors may recommend certain... Full Answer

Symptoms of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH) may vary from person to person. Shortness of breath, cough, and chest pains are common symptoms. These lung-related symptoms may be accompanied by fever, fatigue, and weight loss. Some people... Full Answer

There's no guaranteed cure for pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH), but certain treatment may be completely successful. The first step of any treatment is to quit smoking. Then, if people with PLCH are otherwise healthy, doctors may recommend... Full Answer

Pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH) may be serious, especially if it's left untreated. Most of the time, symptoms of PLCH start out relatively mildly with difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and fever. If left... Full Answer

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare and unpredictably occurring pulmonary illness. PAP is diagnosed by clinical examination, radiographic imaging, and tissue sampling testing. A medical examination suggests respiratory abnormalities and... Full Answer