Shocked doctors have discovered a 73-year-old man's yellowing nails as a sign of a tumour squishing his lungs and heart. The man from Germany, doctors said, was suffering from breathlessness, discoloured nails, and swelling in his legs for years before he finally sought help.

According to doctors, what seemed like several unrelated issues turned out to be the classic signs of yellow nail syndrome or YNS—a rare condition that affects less than one in every 1,000 people. Even though experts have no idea what causes yellow nail syndrome, it may be linked to improper circulation, issues with lymphatic drainage, or buildup of fluid around your lungs. You may also have a higher risk if you have one of a few specific chronic diseases, dental implants, or a joint replacement.

Doctors said in the case of the elderly man, it indicated that stained nails were connected to a tumour – known as lipoma, which was sitting next to his lungs. Even though it was non-cancerous, the 7-cm fatty lump pressed on his thoracic duct, the largest and most important lymphatic vessel in the body.

Yellow nail syndrome affects your nails, lungs, and limbs, and those affected get yellow, curved nails that may thicken or fall off. They also may have respiratory symptoms, such as a chronic cough, and usually have swollen lower legs or ankles.

The condition often develops in adults over 50 years of age. More rarely, it also sometimes occurs in children. Some reports show higher rates of yellow nail syndrome in people with:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Cancer
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Thyroid disease

Signs and symptoms of yellow nail syndrome

A few symptoms of this disorder include:

Your nails may grow slower or stop growing and become thick, yellow, or green before detaching from your nail bed and falling off.

Fluid buildup and swelling affect most people with this condition.

According to experts, almost 2 in 5 people with yellow nail syndrome have fluid buildup in lung tissue.

The hallmark sign of yellow nail syndrome is yellowish nails that curve and thicken. You may experience:

• Breakdown of your cuticles, the thin skin that protects your nailbed
• Nail curving
• Nail separation from your nailbed
• Nail ridges
• Slowed or stopped nail growth

What causes yellow nail syndrome?

Even though it is not known what causes the issue, experts believe yellow nail syndrome results from issues with your circulatory or lymphatic system, which begins to malfunction, causing fluid to collect in the soft tissues under your skin. In turn, this may turn your nails yellow.

Doctors also say that yellow nail syndrome is genetic, as there may be a link between a mutation in the FOXC2 gene and yellow nail syndrome, which causes a condition called lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome. This condition has similar symptoms to yellow nail syndrome.

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