Hero surgeons have removed a rare tumour the size of a human head from a man’s neck.
A small lump first appeared on the elderly man’s neck around nine months earlier.
He initially paid it no attention, as it caused no discomfort.
READ MORE: How lack of sleep affects the heart: what the latest research says
However, it grew rapidly and when it became impossible to ignore, he went to hospital.
The man from Yekaterinburg, Russia, recalled: “I saw in the mirror that the mole on my neck seemed to have moved higher.
“I later realised it was the skin being displaced by the tumour.
“I immediately went to see surgeons in my local area.”
At a local clinic, he was diagnosed with a neck liposarcoma – a rare type of tumour accounting for just 1–2% of all malignant tumours in this location.
These tumours are dangerous because they grow quickly and invade nearby organs and tissues.
He was referred to the Sverdlovsk Regional Oncology Dispensary, the largest cancer care centre in Russia’s Ural region, for surgery.
By the time of the operation, the tumour measured 15.5cm (6.1in) in length and about 9cm (4.5in) in width, and weighed over 2kg (4lb 7oz).
It was the largest neck liposarcoma surgeon Samir Garibov had ever operated on, as reported by Need To Know.
He said: “The giant tumour on the back and side of the neck had already grown into the muscles, the branches of the cervical plexus, and was advancing towards the spine and the major blood vessels supplying the brain.
“Any delay could have led to an increased risk of stroke, and impairment of motor function and sensation. A decision was made to perform a radical surgical intervention.”
The tumour was removed in its entirety in a gruelling two-hour operation that required careful separation of major blood vessels, according to the Ministry of Health of the Sverdlovsk Region yesterday (3 Jun).
The post-operative period passed without complications, and the man is currently continuing anti-cancer treatment.
READ MORE: A simple habit that can significantly improve your health
