12 kg rare stomach tumor removed from Ethiopean cancer patient

New Delhi, Jan 29: A Cancer patient from Ethiopia underwent a successful surgery for removing his giant malignant gastric tumour at the Fortis Hospital. The patient was diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour, a rare kind of cancer. Dr Amit Javed said, “During the surgery, we ultimately had to remove a major portion of the stomach. In addition, the left lobe of the liver also had to be resected.

“As we all know, the liver is a unique organ with the ability to regenerate. Therefore, despite the significant removal of the left portion of the liver, the patient did not face any complications, and by now the liver would have regenerated substantially”.

“The tumour measured approximately 30 cm × 25 cm × 10 cm, making it an extremely large mass. On weighing, it was found to be 12 kilograms. It was predominantly a solid tumour with significant internal changes. When tumors grow to such massive sizes, their blood supply increases enormously, which often leads to bleeding within the tumour itself.

This results in intratumoral haemorrhage and degeneration, allowing the tumour to reach such an extraordinary size”

“In the immediate postoperative period, the patient’s recovery was remarkably smooth. For the initial few days, the patient was kept in the ICU and was later shifted to the general ward.

“Appropriate postoperative investigations were carried out. The new gastrointestinal connections created after removing the stomach healed well. The patient was gradually started on oral intake, which she tolerated comfortably, and she was discharged in a satisfactory condition,” Javed said. “At the time of discharge, the patient was with us—extremely happy and emotionally relieved,” he added.