A Large Liver Tumor: From No Chance To All Well

An inspiring story by a doctor about saving a Bengaluru-patient faced with an intimidating medical condition-a 16 cm cancerous tumor in his liver!

- DR SHRUTHI REDDY

As surgeons and doctors, we come across some extremely difficult moments in our careers. When the challenge hits us, it overwhelms us, nearly marauds our optimism, there is darkness all around, and no signs of help. However, our noble occupation guides us to continue with our endeavors, and in most cases, there appears light at the end of the tunnel.

Somewhat similar was my experience about treating a middle-aged patient from Bengaluru.

A patient's battle

A year ago, 50-year-old Santhosh (name changed), a farmer from Bengaluru was diagnosed with a large, 16 cm cancerous tumor in his liver. The characteristics of the tumor were peculiar. It nearly replaced the entire right lobe that constitutes 80 percent of a normal liver, involved all the three blood vessels draining the liver and compressed the inferior venacava, a major blood vessel which takes blood from lower half of the body to the heart.

Santhosh, upon initial diagnosis, was deemed inoperable in different hospitals and his expected survival without curative treatment was less than six months.