Tumefactive MS Basics

Tumefactive Multiple Sclerosis is a rare version of MS that is extremely difficult to diagnose. "Typical" Multiple Sclerosis is likely to present with many scattered lesions that measure between 1-6mm. A Tumefactive lesion is at least 2cm, or 20mm, and many are much larger. Tumefactive MS is extremely rare, and these brain lesions are often mistaken for tumors or lymphomas or strokes. Because of this, many patients will undergo brain biopsies, brain surgery, and risky treatments before a diagnosis of Tumefactive MS becomes clear. 

Most cases of Tumefactive MS have a dramatic onset, and present with severe neurological symptoms such as paralysis, blindness, difficulty speaking, extreme cognitive impairment, disabling fatigue, and a whole collection of sometimes baffling, intermittent symptoms. It often takes patients a year or more of intense treatment and rehabilitation to recover from the initial onset of Tumefactive MS, but recovery is often possible. 

Research suggests that cognitive impairment is more common with Tumefactive MS than with traditional MS. Profound, and often disabling fatigue seems to be a common occurence in both forms of this disabling disease.

It is possible to experience a full remission of Tumefactive MS. Due to how rare Tumefactive MS seems to be, research is minimal and information is fairly scarce. The research that has been done suggests that Tumefactive MS patients may have 4-5 years between relapses, and that some patients will develop a more standard version of relapsing and remitting Multiple Sclerosis. It is assumed that the prognosis for a patient with Tumefactive Multiple Sclerosis is similar to that of a patient with traditional Multiple Sclerosis, though the quality of life may be variable for each.
  
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