Drug InfoNet Doctors' Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Doctors' Answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" - Cartilage

These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.

Cartilage Lump [posted 8/11/98]
Question: My 14 year old son has a lump just off center of his chest that a surgeon and his pediatrician has called an inflammation of the cartilage. Just a widening showed up on an ultrasound and that is the only test he had. I was told to watch it and return in 3 months, but sooner if I detected growth. Is this cartilage a common problem? I am concerned because my son has had 2 growths of tissue called tracheabronchialmalacia, which he has had laser surgery on in his airway. I can see this new lump and it feels soft and is about 3" by 1". Is it really just cartilage and is this common?

Answer: Very uncommon, it sounds like he has some disorder that leads to growth of cartilage or soft tissue masses. There are some genetic variations which do this. Has he seen a genetic counselor?

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