Young Man with Gardner Syndrome Develops Multiple Intestinal Tumors, Bowel Perforation; Treatment No Longer Possible

A TikTok user (@tonn16548) posted on May 22 to share his devastating experience with Gardner syndrome, a rare hereditary genetic disorder, expressing uncertainty about whether recovery is possible or where his medical journey will end. Now eight months into his diagnosis, he explains that both his small and large intestines have perforated due to tumors caused by his Gardner syndrome. He first discovered the condition after a blood test came back positive, following years of symptoms that began in childhood with the extraction of 13 impacted teeth from beneath his gums. His second major symptom was the development of abdominal tumors—one of which pushed against his intestines and caused the perforation. Doctors have warned that polyps in his large intestine carry a 100 percent risk of developing into colorectal cancer if left untreated. The initial symptoms of bowel perforation included sharp abdominal pain, dizziness, and audible sounds from his abdomen after eating, followed by vomiting and confusion so severe he couldn't communicate coherently at the hospital. Tracing back over a decade, his medical troubles began around age 15 when orthodontists discovered 13 impacted teeth requiring extraction. Four to five years later, his abdomen began swelling, prompting a doctor's visit and tissue biopsy. The swelling recurred and worsened, leading to multiple surgeries where doctors removed tumor masses but couldn't extract them completely, leaving behind fragments that continued to grow. He developed unexplained high fevers that persisted despite antibiotics, and his abdomen became severely bloated and distended. At Siriraj Hospital, doctors admitted him, drained approximately three liters of pus-and-blood mixture from his abdomen, and scheduled surgery. During the operation, doctors discovered a 27-centimeter-long, 15-centimeter-wide tumor mass, plus additional tumors on the back side of his abdomen that they removed simultaneously. The surgery damaged the abdominal wall muscle tissue, requiring him to wear a permanent covering over the surgical site to prevent his intestines from protruding if the skin were to split. Following surgery, CT scans revealed multiple new tumor growths throughout his abdomen, leading doctors to recommend chemotherapy. He underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy, after which his genetic doctors ordered blood tests that confirmed Gardner syndrome diagnosis. The tumors in his large intestine continued growing and eventually ruptured. His doctors indicated he was unlikely to survive, yet he miraculously did. During his final chemotherapy sessions, CT scans showed the abdominal tumors were continuing to enlarge.