Q78.6: Multiple congenital exostoses

You have a condition that causes multiple benign tumors to be formed on the bones.

The tissue in the body is made up of cells. A tumor disorder involves the cells multiplying more than normal. This results in abnormal or excess tissue forming. A tumor can be benign or malignant. The tumors formed with your condition are benign. They consist of bone tissue and cartilage tissue.

The cause of this condition is a change in genetic information. The disease is hereditary. Other family members may therefore also be affected. The tumors appear for the first time in childhood and adolescence.

The tumors can appear in different bones in the skeleton. The affected bones can then have an unusual shape. The tumors can be seen or felt from the outside. The bones may not grow properly due to the tumors. The affected bones are then shorter than those on the opposite side. If the tumors grow in the joint area, the joints can also become deformed. This may make it more difficult to move.

The tumors can also cause pain. They can also pinch nerves depending on where the tumors are growing, causing a person to find it harder to move some muscles. They may also feel touch differently.