Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare, benign condition that involves an overgrowth of white blood cells called histiocytes. It usually causes swollen lymph glands in your neck, but the overgrowths can also affect your skin and other organs. Symptoms, treatment options and likely outcomes vary from person to person.
Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare, benign condition involving an overgrowth of your body’s white blood cells called histiocytes. Usually, the excess histiocytes cause enlarged lymph nodes in your neck (lymphadenopathy), but they can affect other lymph nodes, too. These cells can also collect in places other than your lymph nodes (extranodal sites).
Histiocytes are an important type of cell in your immune system. They fight germs that may make you sick. Still, having too many histiocytes — as with Rosai-Dorfman disease — can cause unpleasant symptoms or negatively impact a body system.
Rosai-Dorfman disease is also called sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy. It’s a rare form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
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Rosai-Dorfman looks and behaves differently in different people. The cells may affect one group of lymph nodes or multiple groups. The histiocytes may collect in parts of your body other than your lymph nodes. RDD is classified based on these differences.
About 40% of people with RDD have excess histiocytes in extranodal sites in addition to their lymph nodes.
Rosai-Dorfman disease mainly affects children, teens and young adults. Most diagnoses occur at about age 20, but there are recorded cases of RDD involving people in their 70s.
RDD affecting the lymph nodes occurs most frequently in people of African descent who are assigned male at birth. Cutaneous RDD is typically diagnosed in people of Asian descent who are assigned female at birth. CRDD mostly affects people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
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Rosai-Dorfman disease is rare. About 1 in every 200,000 people get RDD. In the United States, about 100 new cases are diagnosed annually.
Your symptoms will depend on where the excess histiocytes accumulate in your body. You may experience mild symptoms or even no symptoms if the histiocytes only affect lymph nodes in your neck. You may experience more severe symptoms if the histiocytes prevent an organ from functioning correctly.
Usually, histiocytes grow in the lymph nodes in your neck. As a result, the most common symptom is painless, swollen lumps on both sides of your neck. Swelling may appear in another place, depending on the affected lymph nodes.
Lymph node sites that may be swollen because of histiocyte overgrowth include:
You may not notice symptoms other than the swelling, or you may notice symptoms, like:
Rosai-Dorfman disease that affects your skin (CRDD) may appear anywhere on your body. The histiocytes form growths that typically grow slowly. Signs and symptoms include skin growths that may appear:
Excess histiocytes impacting an organ or a body system can cause various symptoms. For example, RDD that affects your eyes may cause double vision, RDD affecting your central nervous system may cause seizures, RDD affecting your lungs may cause a persistent cough, etc.
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Scientists don’t know what causes Rosai-Dorfman disease. RDD affects people so differently that it may have multiple causes. For example, recent research suggests that CRDD likely has different causes than classic RDD.
Researchers have recently discovered gene mutations that sometimes appear in classic and extranodal RDD types other than CRDD. Gene mutations can cause a cell to grow out of control.
Many people with RDD also have other conditions. There may be a connection between these conditions and RDD. More research is needed to know for sure.
RDD is associated with:
Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. They’ll check for signs of RDD, like swollen lymph glands, skin growths or masses. They’ll also ask about your medical history to see if you have (or have previously had) any of the conditions associated with RDD.
Your provider may also perform any of the following.
Sometimes, RDD goes away on its own (spontaneous remission), but the timing can be unpredictable. It may go away in a few months or a few years. Other times, the condition doesn’t improve on its own, or the cells grow back following remission. RDD may even worsen without treatment.
Your treatment will depend on how your RDD is impacting you.
Your prognosis depends on various factors, including how many lymph nodes are affected and where the excess histiocytes are in your body. Your response to treatment also plays a role. Often, RDD resolves on its own. In other instances, it may require treatment, or it could cause serious complications.
In general, the fewer lymph nodes affected, the better your prognosis. With extranodal RDD, outcomes are often better if RDD affects your skin, chest or upper respiratory tract. The prognosis is worse if the histiocytes collect in your lower respiratory tract, kidneys or liver.
Questions you should ask include:
No. Rosai-Dorfman is benign, which means it doesn’t spread to other parts of your body like malignancies (cancer) can. Still, the growths involved with RDD can impact organs and cause complications. Your healthcare provider is your best resource for understanding how your RDD affects your body and whether you should be concerned.
In 1965, Pierre Paul Louis Lucien Destombes discovered symptoms of RDD in four patients. Later, in 1969, Juan Rosai and Ronald Dorfman studied additional patients with similar symptoms. The condition is most commonly known as Rosai-Dorfman disease. Less commonly, it’s called Rosai-Dorman-Destombes disease, as a nod to all three scientists who discovered the condition.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) can be a challenging diagnosis because it’s so rare and affects people differently. There isn’t a single set of treatment guidelines for RDD. This is why it’s essential to communicate openly with your healthcare provider so you understand your diagnosis and are informed about your treatment options. You may have a mild case of RDD that goes away on its own, or you may need a combination of treatments. Ask your provider how your condition will shape your care plan and likely outcomes.
Last reviewed on 09/12/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy