Abu Dhabi surgeons remove rare 4.4kg cancerous tumour from 49-year-old patient

In a complex six-hour surgery at the NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, surgeons successfully removed a rare and massive cancerous tumour from a 49-year-old patient. The tumour, weighing 4.4 kilograms and measuring 36 centimetres, posed significant challenges due to its enormous size and its proximity to major blood vessels and vital organs.

The operation required the removal of the patient's right kidney, adrenal gland, part of the diaphragm, and his right 12th rib to ensure all affected cancerous tissue was eliminated.

Despite the extreme difficulty of the procedure, the highly skilled team at the NMC Royal Hospital managed to complete the surgery without any major complications. The tumour, while typically developing in the chest, had unusually extended into the patient’s abdominal cavity, an exceptionally rare occurrence. This rare form of cancer affects only one in every two million individuals annually, with only a select handful of similar cases documented worldwide over the past thirty years.

The tumour stretched from the diaphragm to the pelvis, displacing several vital organs, including the liver, stomach, intestines, and kidney, from their normal positions.

Dr Hassan Elberm, the lead surgeon in the operation, noted that the main challenge was the tumour's size and its extensive growth within the abdominal cavity. He emphasized the comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach adopted by the surgical team to anticipate and mitigate potential risks during the procedure. Remarkably, the team successfully removed the tumour without the need for a blood transfusion, demonstrating both their expertise and the success of their meticulous planning.