Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba Syndrome
Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes multiple lipomas and benign tumors around the body. The symptoms of this condition vary in severity; some people have only a few small tumors and no other problems, while others may have many tumors along with other complications. These other complications may include kidney, lung, and neurological disorders.
How does Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome cause lipoma? Research has shown that this condition is caused by a mutation in the PTPN11 gene, which controls cell growth and differentiation. All of the body’s cells have the PTPN11 gene, so it’s not surprising that mutations in this gene affect multiple parts of the body, particularly causing lipoma and other tumors to form.
Another research study found that the PTPN11 gene mutation may also be responsible for causing renal cell carcinomas, a type of kidney cancer. This finding suggests that the mutation could also affect other types of tumors.
