This Is What Causes Customers’ Bones to ‘Drip’ Like Candle Wax

Researchers have discovered a genetic cause of “dripping candle wax” bone disease.

Rachael has been with Live Science since 2010. She has a master’s degree in journalism from New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B. S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.


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A rare and puzzling condition called “dripping candle wax” bone disease just got a little less mysterious. In a new study, scientists say they’ve found a genetic mutation that appears to cause the disease, which results in excess bone formation and makes people’s bones appear to drip or flow like candle wax on X-rays. The findings not only suggest new ways to treat the condition but also provide clues about normal bone development, and could have implications for more common bone conditions, including osteoporosis, the researchers said. The study was published today (April 11) in the journal Nature Communications. Only 400 cases of “dripping candle wax” bone disease, formally known as melorheostosis, have ever been reported. In people with this condition, areas of bone become overly thick and dense, leading to symptoms such as pain, limited range of movement and limb deformities, according to the National Institutes of Health. The condition usually affects just one part of the body — often a lower limb — but in rare cases, it can affect multiple areas.

‘Dripping Candle Wax’ Bone Disease: Scientists Find Cause of Rare Condition That Causes Bones to ‘Flow’

The disease can cause bone deformities and chronic pain.

A new study has shed rare light on the cause of a condition dubbed “dripping candle wax” bone disease, linking it to a genetic mutation. Formally known as melorheostosis, the genetic condition is characterized by the thickening of the dense outer layer of the bone. On X-rays, the affected bones resemble a candle with wax flowing down its sides. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), only around 400 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the disease. The benign condition affects the development of soft tissue. It can therefore impact a person’s functions, causing limb, hand and foot deformities as well as chronic pain.


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This Rare Disease Makes Your Bones “Drip Like Candle Wax”, And Scientists Have Just Figured Out How

A rare bone disorder’s murky genetic origins have been clarified somewhat thanks to a study led by the US National Institute of Health (NIH).Melorheostosi.

Melorheostosis of the leg. NIHSince it was first described by medical researchers in 1922, only about 400 cases have been reported worldwide. Without a known molecular cause, physicians have been unsure how to properly diagnose melorheostosis and treatment traditionally required surgical removal of overgrowth and, ultimately, limb amputation.

When the authors cultured the cells taken from the subjects’ lesions, they found that the osteoblasts – the cells that create osteoid – with MAP2K1 mutations were overactive, but their ability to mineralize was impaired. This is not totally surprising considering that drip-like formations of osteoid are the disease’s hallmark, but it is puzzling in light of recent evidence that the class of drugs developed to treat osteoporosis help slow progression of melorheostosis.


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[FAQ]

What are the symptoms of melorheostosis?

Signs and symptoms of melorheostosis include irregular bone growth, including cortical thickening and “dripping candle wax” appearance on x-ray imaging; unequal length of limbs ; soft tissue abnormalities, including tendon and ligament shortening, absent or abnormal muscles, subcutaneous calcification, joint swelling ...

What are bone diseases?

metabolic bone disease, any of several diseases that cause various abnormalities or deformities of bone. Examples of metabolic bone diseases include osteoporosis, rickets, osteomalacia, osteogenesis imperfecta, marble bone disease (osteopetrosis), Paget disease of bone, and fibrous dysplasia.

Is melorheostosis curable?

There is no standard treatment for melorheostosis, and options are individualized based on the specific symptoms and severity in each person. Management aims to relieve pain, correct deformity, and restore movement.

What is abnormal bone growth?

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a debilitating disorder that leads to heterotopic ossification (HO), an abnormal process in which extra bone develops outside the skeleton in soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons and ligaments.

What is candle wax disease?

Melorheostosis is a rare bone disease. It causes the abnormal growth of new bone tissue on the surface of existing bones. The new bone has a characteristic appearance on x-rays, often described as "flowing" or like dripping candle wax.

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