A
woman had an 88lb tumour removed from her ovaries after spending a year
not understanding why she was gaining weight so rapidly.
The
unnamed 57-year-old Brazilian was already overweight before the
mucus-filled tumour started growing and had no ostensible side effects
other than a slight difficulty breathing.
When
she eventually visited the doctor because of her expanding 52inch
(132cm) waistline, an ultrasound revealed the huge mass – 16.5inch by
15.7inch by 11inch (42cm by 40cm by 28cm) – according to the Journal of
Medical Case Reports, which published her story.
An obstetric surgeon at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, Dr Jonathan Herman told Live Science that
mucus-filled ovarian cysts, known as mucinous cystadenomas, are common
among women aged 30 to 50, though most are benign and disappear without
treatment.
Some, however, will continue to grow until they meet resistance.
Herman said: ‘When you cut it open, mucus just comes pouring out. Mucus is very heavy, so they grow to a large size.’
Reported
only now, the woman’s operation happened in 2003, when surgeons also
removed part of her fallopian tubes, uterus and lymph nodes. She was
also treated with chemotherapy because the tumour was exhibiting
cancerous properties.
Ten years on, the patient is well and the tumour is showing no signs of regrowth.
