New Insights into Cleidocranial Dysplasia (CCD), a Rare Disorder

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a rare disorder of which the most prominent features are missing or abnormal growth of the teeth and collarbones.

Actor Gaten Matarazzo III who plays Dustin Henderson on "Stranger Things", the popular Netflix series was born with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), a rare disorder of which the most prominent features are missing or abnormal growth of the teeth and collarbones.

The fictional character shares the condition with actor Gaten Matarazzo III and the show has featured scenes of Matarazzo's Dustin educating others about it. The authors of this research letter used data from Google Trends and CCD-related foundations to gauge public interest and awareness of the disorder after the release of each of the show's three seasons.

Basics of Rare Diseases - Types, Diagnosis and Treatment
Rare or orphan diseases are least understood of all chronic diseases. They are more common than projected and kill more people than cancer and HIV together.

‘Strange Things a popular Netflix series is associated with cleidocranial dysplasia, a rare disorder.’

Researchers report that each season of the show was associated with an increase in weekly search interest for CCD above what would be expected.

Data from most CCD-related foundations contacted weren't quantifiable but web traffic to one site for a CCD-related information page reached 10,000 visits the week after the show's third season premiered last summer.

While study authors urge writers to exercise cautious when portraying characters with rare disorders, those portrayals might help to raise awareness of these conditions.

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Cervical dysplasia is a condition marked by growth of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. It carries a risk of progression to cervical cancer.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

Authors: Austin L. Johnson, B.S., Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, and coauthors

Test Your Knowledge on Rare Diseases
Rare or orphan diseases are the least understood of all the categories of chronic diseases. Rare diseases are more common than projected and globally they take away more lives than cancer and HIV combined.

Globally around 350 million people are estimated to live with a rare disease. Currently, there are 7000 rare diseases with newer ones being discovered each year. 80% of rare diseases have a genetic origin. Rare diseases may be single-gene disorders or multiple- gene disorders. Almost 50% of those affected are children and 30% of these children will not live beyond the age of 5. It takes nearly 7 years to diagnose a rare disease. 95% of rare diseases do not have a cure.

(doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2019.4791)

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Source-Eurekalert