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Miscellaneous
Miroslava Montemayor, former beauty queen and TNT Sports presenter, disclosed her diagnosis of an ultra-rare bone illness after suffering multiple fractures.
Miroslava Montemayor, a former beauty queen and prominent TNT Sports presenter, has been diagnosed with an ultra-rare bone disease following a hip fracture. The 36-year-old ex-model and 2013 Nuestra Belleza Internacional México winner revealed she is among only 22 people in Mexico affected by this condition.
Montemayor shared her experience on Instagram, posting hospital images and X-rays that initially suggested a typical sports injury. However, doctors found a 2.5cm tumour responsible for systematically extracting vital minerals from her skeleton.
She explained, “It was not just a right hip fracture, there were also 16 microfractures in the spine and the left hip was on the verge of fracturing. This did not happen overnight.” The illness, known as tumour-induced osteomalacia or oncogenic osteomalacia, is classified as ultra-rare with only 22 registered cases in Mexico.
The symptoms began approximately two years ago, prompting Montemayor to temporarily step back from TNT Sports broadcasts, including a Champions League match in March 2026. Early misdiagnoses confused her pain with other bone, muscle, and neurological disorders, a common challenge with this disease that can take up to eight years to diagnose accurately.
Oncogenic osteomalacia is caused by usually benign tumours that produce excessive levels of the hormone FGF23. This leads to increased phosphorus loss through urine, resulting in progressive bone weakening, severe pain, muscle weakness, and frequent fractures. Health authorities highlight that the disease causes significant muscle weakness alongside extreme bone fragility.
Treatment generally involves surgical removal of the tumour, which was successfully performed in Montemayor’s case, followed by rehabilitation. The Monterrey-born presenter, who studied industrial engineering and has worked at ESPN and TV Azteca, praised her medical team, especially Dr Tayde Arechiga.
Montemayor reported that her pain has mostly subsided and her bones are regaining strength, as covered by NeedToKnow. She returned to Champions League coverage during the semi-finals, appearing on air with crutches and seated.
In her posts, she expressed gratitude to the doctors “who during these months have left me as good as new” and indicated she would share further updates about the confusing symptoms she endured. The sports journalist remains optimistic about her recovery while continuing her career covering major European football events.
