Tumor-induced osteomalacia: a 2026 update

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is an ultrarare paraneoplastic syndrome caused by overproduction of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). There is low awareness of the disease so that TIO is underdiagnosed. In addition, symptoms reported by patients with TIO are usually nonspecific thus rendering the diagnosis difficult to be made. Biochemical hallmarks are represented by hypophosphatemia, increased or inappropriately normal levels of FGF23, low to low normal circulating 1,25(OH)2D and renal phosphate wasting. From the histological point of view, phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors are the entities responsible in majority of cases. Tumors causing TIO are generally of small size and grow slowly. There are a number of functional and anatomical imaging techniques utilized for tumor localization; ⁶⁸Ga DOTA based technologies have the better sensitivity and specificity in respect to other techniques. Surgery is the treatment of choice; in a very few selected cases non pharmacological and pharmacological treatment are available.