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Proteus Syndrome or Giant Head: A Pakistani man’s Story

  • February 20, 2015
  • 2 min read
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Proteus Syndrome or Giant Head: A Pakistani man’s Story

How many of you have heard about the Elephant man? and How many have you that what defect might have caused such a problem? How common is the problem in the world population?

The Historical Elephant man was Joseph Merrick who suffered from a congenital Defect- Proteus syndrome. But he is not the only one.

The story of few people suffering from body overgrowth making them look obviously unearthly and weird is shown. One Pakistani man, Sain Mumtaz, suffers from this rare disorder called Proteus Syndrome. People in locality call him Giant, some abhor him and some think he is near to God and pay him to pray for them. He wants to get cured of this condition to win back his wife, who left him. This was an episode in My Shocking Story in Discovery in 2012.

Now the Time has come for making the Decision

Read Story published in Dailymail- Sain Mumtaz Gaint Head Story

Sain Mumtaz elephant man

 

What is Proteus Syndrome?

Proteus syndrome- a rare condition where overgrowth of the bones, skin, and other tissues occurs. Organs and tissues affected by the disease grow out of proportion to the rest of the body, a kind of uncontrolled growth. The overgrowth is usually not uniform and is asymmetric, which means it affects the right and left sides of the body differently.

Even though the newborns may have few or no signs at all, overgrowth of body parts become apparent at 6 and 18 months. Severity increases with age. Although any part ofimages body can be affected, bones in the limbs, skull, and spine are often affected sites.

Incidence- 1 in a million people worldwide  affected, with fewer case reports.

Genetic Basis of defect- Results from a mutation in the AKT1 gene which regulates cell proliferation, growth and cell death.

Is there any Helping Organisation?  Find it at PSF, Proteus Syndrome Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions About Proteus Syndrome

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