Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a disease involving multiple systems, and nodules may grow in various organs of the body, including the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs, eyes, teeth, and nails. TSC is a rare and complex genetic disease with an equal male to female ratio, and approximately 1 in 10,000 people globally are affected by it. Currently, two genes (TSC1 and TSC2) are known to play a role in autosomal dominant inheritance, and about one-third of patients are inherited from the previous generation, while two-thirds are caused by new genetic mutations. The symptoms of TSC are highly diverse, and some individuals may have mild symptoms throughout their lifetime, while others may have symptoms from birth (even pre-birth) and require long-term care from multiple medical specialists. Even cases within the same family, or even twins, may not have the same symptoms. Nodules may grow in various organs, including the skin, brain, lungs, kidneys, heart, eyes, teeth, etc. The symptoms may include seizures, intellectual disability, developmental delay, psychiatric and behavioral problems, facial angiofibromas, and manifestations in the lungs or kidneys, etc.
In the past, patients with TSC had to be monitored separately by physicians from several different departments, which was a heavy burden for patients and their families. Therefore, since 2010, National Taiwan University Hospital has launched the "TSC Integrated Clinic" to provide one-stop services to patients, with the aim of putting patients at the center and providing TSC patients with world-class "holistic medical" services. The clinic is held on the first Monday morning of every month.