Can sarcoidosis be cured?

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown cause that affects the lungs almost invariably. The clinical course and outcomes of pulmonary sarcoidosis are highly variable, ranging from mild and self-limiting to organ-threatening or life-threatening disease. Often, sarcoidosis remits permanently (spontaneously or following treatment), although disease resolution rates vary depending on demographic factors, mode of presentation, organs involved, and disease duration. Corticosteroids are the initial drugs of choice for the treatment of sarcoidosis. However, corticosteroid toxicity is common and causes significant morbidity and mortality; therefore, their use should be minimized. Certain phenotypes of sarcoidosis are more likely to undergo disease termination than others. In addition, certain pharmacologic maneuvers may be useful in terminating the disease, but these remain exploratory at this time. Future clinical and basic research of such phenotypes may lead to the discovery of immunopathogenic mechanisms involved in sarcoidosis disease termination.