5 Facts you should know about

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)

A rare cystic lung disease that mostly affects women in their mid-forties

LAM is most commonly detected when a woman develops a pneumothorax

Diffuse cystic changes associated with multifocal clusters of smooth muscle-like cells (LAM cells) replace normal lung parenchyma, leading to progressive loss of lung function

Reports of exacerbations of LAM with the use of exogenous estrogens and during pregnancy suggest an association between hormones and clinical deterioration

There are 2 forms of LAM - a sporadic form, which occurs for unknown reasons, and a form that occurs in people with the tuberous sclerosis complex

See our full disease profile

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