“This fat guy has an allergy to the sun,” was the comment of user X (formerly Twitter). The Murciano investigator. The young comedian,who became famous in Spain after his stint in “The Uprising”David Broncano’s television program,was forced to respond by talking about the disease he suffers from. “I have a disease called Xeroderma Pigmentosum”he responded and then talked about this rare condition that makes reduce life expectancy to those who suffer from it.
What is xeroderma Pigmentosum?
As the National Library of Medicine points out xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a genetic disease transmitted from parents to children. It occurs when the skin, and also the tissues covering the eyes, are very sensitive to ultraviolet lightand, therefore, to sun exposure.
When the skin is exposed to these rays,Sunlight damages genetic material (DNA). Generally these damages are subsequently repaired by the same institution, but, a person with XP is unable to regenerate this skin. This is why patients have very thin or thin skin and begin to show pigmentation in the form of specks of various colors.
Though, beyond its impact on the dermis, XP It can also present eye and nervous system problems.
The symptoms of XP depending on where it occurs
Symptoms that appear on the skin:
- Burns and blisters after sun exposure.
- Spots on the skin with pigmentation changes, premature aging is visible.
- Crusting and flaking of the skin.
- Arachnoid blood vessels under the skin.
- Photophobia.
Sun exposure damages the skin’s DNA,which is unable to regenerate due to XP.
Symptoms that appear in the eyes:
- Dry eyes.
- Cornea with opacity.
- Corneal ulcers.
- Inflammation or swollen eyelids.
Symptoms that occur in the nervous system:
- Hearing loss.
- Intellectual disability.
- delayed growth.
- Muscle weakness in the extremities (legs and arms).
Cancer risk and short life expectancy
Detective Murciano made it clear to User X that he had to do this undergo surgery 50 to 60 times for melanoma problems. and xeroderma Pigmentosa has a strong impact on the patient who suffers from it. For starters,life expectancy is reduced by suffering from this condition,as patients have a increased risk of cancer at a very young age.
According to the National Cancer Institute, it is possible for a child to have this hereditary disease skin cancer at 10 years old. In addition, cancer of the eyelids or cornea, brain cancer, or basal cell carcinoma may also develop.
Unprotected sun exposure causes a reduction in skin quality and increases the risk of cancer,so it is very important to use sunscreen.
These tumor cells have a difficult prognosisgiven this xeroderma pigmentosum has no cure. For this reason, the National Library of Medicine highlights that many patients die when they reach adulthood.
The medical approach, thus, is treat patients with preventive methods such as minimal sun exposure, wearing strong sunscreen, wearing long-sleeved clothing, and wearing sunglasses. Additionally, you may want to use a retinoid cream to reduce your risk of skin cancer. When lesions appear, a doctor will consider removing them, as Detective Murciano has had to do on numerous occasions.
