PTEN Hamartomous Tumor Syndrome. It's a one in a million genetic mutation in a tumor suppressing gene that causes (currently) benign growths to show up in various places around my body. I've already had surgery to remove a growth in my neck and three other surgeries to remove growths in the lower part of my lower intestine.

There's no treatment other than screening. Watching and waiting until the growths become big enough and/or cancerous enough to require removal and/or treatment.

There's various cancers I'm at an elevated chance for, but it's colon cancer that I have a very real of getting in the next twenty years. I'm 33 now.

I meet with an oncologist tomorrow to set up the foundations of a team of doctors with which he will coordinate my care for this disorder. Necessary evil.