The surgeon in the photo looks a bit like a successful angler with his catch.
When I see stories like that, I always wonder how people let things get this far. Hmmm.
speaking from experience, I had one go from pea to pingpong ball size in 30 days [and that was the fastest from doc appointment to surgery I ever had as a Navy dependant!] and a second one go from nothing to the size of an orange in about 7 months [only thing that caught it was an ultrasound to check my endometrial lining and they spotted the mass on my ovary. I did mention to the doc just before the ultra sound that my ovulations were a bit more painful than normal:dubious::rolleyes::smack:]
My god, it looks like the surgeon’s holding a Thanksgiving turkey. A big, red, bloody, horrifying Thanksgiving turkey. A malignant tumor that size? Is there any chance that she could be cancer-free after that?
I dunno, abdominal tumors aren’t always obvious until things are pretty far along unless you’re getting obvious symptoms. I’ve known many people who put on 40 lbs or more in a year and a half, mostly in their belly. Especially if you already have a fat belly as most adults over 40 do, who would guess their 18-month weight gain was a giant cancer?
It’s not obvious from the article that it’s cancerous. Yeah, it says “malignant,” but that could be an error on the part of the reporter. There’s no quote from the doctor saying it’s cancerous.
Not to mention that, given it’s location in the womb, the woman may have been assumed to be pregnant, especially if the tumor interfered with menstruation. Seriously -
“My belly’s getting bigger - I think there’s something wrong!”
“Whoa, little lady - you’re expecting!”
“No, really, something’s not right -”
“When was your last period?”
“About two months ago, but -”
“Well, then you’re pregnant. Any morning sickness?”
“It hurts doctor, and I really think it’s something else -”
“Nonsense. You’re pregnant. Take these vitamins and see me in three weeks.”
Nine months later:
“Whoa, you should be having that baby any day now!”
“Doctor - I’ve been pregnant twelve months now! I don’t think this is normal!”
“Hmm… well, yeah, maybe there is something else going on here. Let me schedule you for some tests”
Because, you know, a rapidly growing lump anywhere else besides the womb is going to be assumed to be some Horrible Disease Thing but if it’s in the uterus it’s a baby until proven otherwise. Even worse, of course, if the woman doesn’t go to prenatal visits and just assumes she’s pregnant until around month 10 or so.
Broomstick, there is no way on earth your scenario would ever play out. No doctor would mistake a tumor for a baby for longer than it takes to get the results of the blood work.
Yeah, and if that was messed up, the ultrasound should be a pretty dead giveaway.
A young woman I know, had a 12 pound tumor removed (and also all the internal baby making equipment, as a precaution) four years ago. She didn’t know anything about it being there but found that driving over railway tracks hurt a LOT, so went to the doctor’s as a precaution.
“Something’s not right.”
It was benign, thank goodness.
an seanchai
Not to mention that they usually have you come back sooner than 9 months and do ultrasounds. Also the woman was 54 and most likely menopausal.
23kg – is that a lot?
50.7063203 pounds
I was told I had a relative who had a tumor the size of a basketball removed from her abdominal area somewhere at an age of about 70 y.o. She was somewhat overweight and apparently had no reason to believe some of that weight might be a tumor.
Google does the heavy lifting. The rest of the world uses it when you US Americans insist on posting things in non-metric measurements.
I guess I can see these things sneaking up on you, especially a womb tumour (that isn’t a baby).
Maybe a medical doper can explain how in the world they biopsy something that big? With tumors we take off animals we usually have to cut them up before sending them off. Would they first xray something that big? Take core samples? Just shave a little off the top?
Revoltingly compelling. Or maybe it’s compellingly revolting?
I’m thinking with something that big, the first ultrasound would be all the diagnostic they would need - once the ultrasound tech goes, “Holy SHIT!”, I think it’s next stop surgery. 
You decide, I can’t bring myself to click the link.
It’s a doctor in scrubs holding what looks like a big ball of beef about the size of a beach ball.
Raw beef.