1. Fibrodysplasia
Ossificans Progressiva
(FOP)
{ By Cassie and Hannah

2. What is FOP?
 FOP is a very rare genetic disorder.
Around one in two million people
are born with it.
 FOP is the only disease that can
change one organ system into
another. Muscles are turned into
bone.

3. What does it do?
 FOP causes bone, ligaments, and
tendons to ossify, or transform into
bone. Joints are covered in bone,
and become immobile.
 It has been nicknamed “Stone Man
Syndrome.”

4. What causes it?
 The ACVR1 gene is used to ossify
cartilage. A mutation of this gene
causes FOP, where ossification is
not “turned off.”
 Bones will grow unregulated and
replace muscles, joints, and
ligaments. This greatly limits
movement.

5. Signs & Symptoms
 Painful lumps and malformed big toes and
thumbs can be early signs of FOP
 Bone growths occur usually by early
childhood.
 Anything from a fall, an immunization, or an
illness can trigger bone growth. Occasionally,
it has no trigger.

6. Treatments
 There are no treatments for FOP.
 Surgery makes it worse. Any bone
growth removed will grow back
even more, and new growths will
be stimulated.

7. Comparisons
A skeleton with FOP A normal skeleton

8. Cases  When Harry Eastlack was
10, he was diagnosed
with FOP.
 By the time of his death
at 40, his body was
completely ossified, and
he could only move his
lips.
 He donated his body to
science after he died, so a
cure could be found to
this disease.

9. Video

10. Other Facts
 It is commonly misdiagnosed as
cancer.