The Causes And Diagnosis Of Erdheim-Chester Disease

Erdheim–Chester disease is a rare cancer of the white blood cells. In this disease, excessive proliferation of macrophages causes damage to a variety of organ systems. Macrophages, the white blood cells that normally ingest foreign bacteria and viruses are overproduced and attack normal host tissues. The disease often attacks the long bones, the lungs, and the pituitary gland. It often presents with bone pain, but clinical presentation varies widely among patients. The first cases were reported in 1930 by Jakob Erdheim and William Chester. As of 2017, there were 550 cases reported in literature. Symptoms range from mild to life-threatening depending on the organ systems involved.