Woman’s bones 'vanish' from rare disease

A woman complaining of shoulder pain has been diagnosed with an extremely rare disease after her bones disappeared before doctors’ eyes.

X-rays published by Live Science show the 44-year-old patient’s left shoulder and arm bones deteriorating over a period of six months.

Doctors apparently thought the woman, who was previously healthy, had cancer - but results were inconclusive.

Experts from Scotland’s Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh now believe she is suffering from Gorham-Stout disease.

Also known as “vanishing bone disease”, the condition is so rare that only 64 cases have been reported in medical journals.

The cause of the disease remains undetermined, with no clear genetic or environmental links. Unfortunately, there is no specific therapy or treatment for people with Gorham’s.

“Ultimately, this is a challenging disease where evidence-based management remains lacking," researchers of the new report concluded.