A brain tumor caused this 19-year-old to grow 20 centimeters in just one year. Doctors fear that he will never stop growing.
Englishman Kiran Halliday found out that he had a benign brain tumor after he went to the doctor with complaints of headache. Surgeons at University Hospital Wales removed the tumor, but the 19-year-old was subsequently diagnosed with acromegaly, also known as gigantism. This disorder causes the body to produce excess amounts of growth hormone.
In just one year, Kiran has grown by 20 centimeters. This rapid growth causes persistent seizures in the young man. He takes 12 pills every day and receives injections of special drugs to treat his disorder, but doctors are not sure if he will ever stop growing. His mom says that his son cannot go to college or even just go to meet friends for fear that he will have another seizure.
Acromegaly leads to overgrowth of body tissue. It is very common for victims of this disorder to develop abnormally large arms and legs, large facial features, an enlarged tongue, and excessive stature if the disease begins before puberty.
This disorder affects about six out of every 100,000 adults, although the disorder is extremely rare in children. Acromegaly is often caused by a benign brain tumor, which is what happened in Kieran's case.