Who Is At Risk for LAM?
LAM mostly affects women in their mid-forties. More
than 7 out of every 10 patients are between the ages of 20 and 40 when they
begin to have symptoms. But LAM may occur in women as old as 70 to 80. There
are also a few reports of LAM occurring in men.
Today, about 675 women in the United States have
been diagnosed with either LAM alone or LAM with
tuberous sclerosis complex. Scientists believe that many more
women have LAM, but they have been misdiagnosed with another more common lung
disease, such as emphysema,
asthma,
or bronchitis.
Since LAM affects about 3 out of every 10 women with
TSC, there may be as many as 10,000 women in the United States who have TSC and
undiagnosed LAM. Many of these women may have mild cases of LAM that are not
causing symptoms. Not all TSC patients who have LAM have lung
problems. |