about-lam.org

LAM is short for Lymphangioleiomyomatosis - a pulmonary disease which affects women.

LAM causes an unusual type of muscle cell that invades the tissues of the lungs, including the airways, and blood and lymph vessels. Over time, these muscle cells form into bundles that obstruct the flow of air, preventing the lungs from providing oxygen to the rest of the body.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is pronounced lim - fan'- je - o - Li'- o - mi'- o - ma - to'- sis. Lymph and angio refer to the lymph and blood vessels. Leiomyomatosis refers to the formation of the bundles of the unusual muscle cells.

The cause of LAM is not known. However, a recent paper reports that tuberous sclerosis gene mutations are a cause of lymphyangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). The mutations were found in the angiomyolipoma cells and LAM cells from four women with LAM. The mutations were not present in normal lung, kidney or blood cells, indicating that these women with LAM do not have the inherited disease, tuberous sclerosis. Identifying this genetic link between tuberous sclerosis and sporadic LAM is an important step in LAM research. [Ref: Mutations in the tubersous sclerosis complex gene TSC2 are a cause of sporatic lymphyangioleiomyomatosis; Carsillo, Astrinidis and Henske; PNAS 2000 97:6085-90.]