Neurofibromatosis Diagnosis Criteria

Those who don't have complications and are diagnosed and treated early on are expected to have an almost normal life expectancy.

The hallmark symptom of neurofibromatosis is the appearance of "coffee-with-milk" (café au lait) spots on the skin. Many healthy people have one or two small café au lait spots, but adults with six or more spots larger than 1.5 cm (0.5 cm in children) could have neurofibromatosis.

Those who are diagnosed with NF1 have an increased risk of having other forms of cancer, such as breast cancer and brain tumors. Aside from that, they may also develop a benign adrenal gland tumor that may not be cancerous but may still negatively affect one's health.