Print friendly version Other Names for this Disease - Cystic
angiomatosis of bone diffuse - Gorham-Stout disease - Gorham-
Stout syndrome - Osteolysis massive - Vanishing bone disease See
Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on
this page may take you to organizations outside of the National
Institutes of Health. Gorham's disease is a rare bone disorder
that is characterized by bone loss (osteolysis) often associated
with swelling or abnormal blood vessel growth (angiomatous
proliferation). Bone loss can occur in just one bone or spread
to soft tissue and adjacent bones. It may affect any part of the
skeleton, but most commonly involves the skull, shoulder, and
pelvic girdle. The cause of Gorham's disease is currently
unknown. No familial predisposition has been found. Because of
the rarity of this disease, there is not standard therapy
available. The main methods of treatment are surgery and
radiation therapy. In some cases, Gorham's disease has improved
without treatment (spontaneous remi