AIIMS Delhi surgeons successfully performed a complex 10-hour surgery to remove a massive 10-kg tumour from a 49-year-old woman with recurrent Stage 4 ovarian cancer, initially deemed inoperable due to multi-organ involvement. The patient, first diagnosed with a rare granulosa cell ovarian tumour in 2011, had already undergone two surgeries following relapses in 2016 and October 2023. This latest relapse caused severe weight loss, abdominal pain, and vomiting, with the tumour compressing the small intestine and leaving her reliant on liquid nutrition.
According to Dr. MD Ray, professor of surgical oncology at the Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (IRCH), AIIMS, the tumour had infiltrated multiple segments of the small intestine, the anterior abdominal wall, urinary bladder, and part of the large intestine, making the surgery extremely challenging. The tumour’s compression had also weakened the walls of the bladder and intestines, complicating repairs, while the surgery posed significant risks of blood loss and potential small bowel syndrome, which can severely impact quality of life.
As reported by medicaldialogues, during the surgery, multiple segments of the small intestine were resected and reconnected to maintain continuity, and two sections of the urinary bladder were reconstructed. Despite the complexity, the tumour was successfully removed, and the patient was discharged within a week.
Dr. Ray emphasized the importance of consulting experts at high-volume centres, stating that even in cases of recurrent, multi-organ cancer, patients should not be considered inoperable without thorough exploration. This case serves as a reminder of the potential for advanced surgical interventions to achieve positive outcomes in even the most challenging cancer cases.