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Flanker Griffiths outlines 'rare' condition

Flanker Ollie Griffiths in action for Dragons against OspreysImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
Image caption,

Dragons flanker Ollie Griffiths played for Wales against Tonga in 2017

  • Published

Dragons flanker Ollie Griffiths has revealed he is suffering from a rare condition after being diagnosed with a tumour on his spine.

The Welsh rugby region announced last month that Griffiths' condition "requires intervention" and he "is unavailable for selection for the foreseeable future as he undergoes medical treatment".

Griffiths has made 105 appearances for Dragons and played one international for Wales.

The 29-year-old has written on his social media account outlining the diagnosis.

"I've received a lot of questions, so I wanted to share an update and hopefully raise awareness about a very rare condition," said Griffiths.

"A few months ago, a tumour was found on my spine, which a biopsy confirmed as Langerhans cell histiocytosis - a condition with only around 50 new cases in the UK each year.

"While it's not the outcome we were hoping for, the prognosis is better than we initially feared, and it's not as aggressive as we once thought.

"I'm currently undergoing mild treatment and will be reassessed soon to check for any improvements.

"At the moment, I'm feeling good and hopeful for some positive news in the near future.

鈥淭hank you all for the kind messages and well-wishes over the past few weeks."

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body.

Histiocytes are types of white blood cells which help fight infection. In LCH, histiocytes grow excessively and can gather in bones, skin, lymph nodes, lungs, bone marrow or the pituitary gland.

This can cause a variety of problems such as pain in the bone, skin rash, swollen tummy, or breathing difficulties.