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Living with Cancrum oris

A rare disease that causes severe damage to the soft tissue and bone of the face, mostly in children.

Understanding Cancrum oris

Cancrum oris, also called noma, is a gangrenous disease that causes severe destruction of the soft tissue and bone of the face.

"Gangrenous" means that body tissue is dying. GARD lists this condition as an infectious disease that mainly starts in childhood. GARD does not list other details.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD's summary describes severe damage to tissue of the face.

  • Severe destruction of soft tissue of the face
  • Severe destruction of facial bone

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who knows rare conditions.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

Care & treatment

Care team
A doctor familiar with rare conditions, plus specialists as needed
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with rare disease patient organizations for support
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
What can be done to treat the infection and protect healthy tissue?
Which specialists should be involved in care for the face?
What kinds of reconstruction or follow-up care might be needed?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startChild

GARD lists this condition as infectious, but doesn't describe a cause for it yet.

Infectious

Also known as: acute gangrenous stomatitis; gangrenous stomatitis; noma

Patient organizations

Rare-disease groups that can help

Source: NIH GARD · Cancrum orisGARD ID 4001 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Cancrum oris.

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Explore research for Cancrum oris

Explore actively recruiting Cancrum oris studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Cancrum oris with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Share your city to look for research near you
  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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