This was a challenging case as the man had previously been misdiagnosed

New Delhi:

A 47-year-old Iraqi man suffering from stage four rectal cancer has been given a new lease of life after a complex surgery by Indian doctors.

The man was initially diagnosed with hemorrhoids and is currently undergoing treatment in his country. However, it was later discovered that he had rectal cancer that had been misdiagnosed earlier. The obese patient also underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before being referred to Manipal Hospital in Dwarka.

“This was a challenging case as the patient had been misdiagnosed earlier and he weighed 122 kg, which added to the complexity of treatment,” Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, told IANS.

After evaluation, doctors discovered peritoneal disease in addition to rectal cancer (stage IV).

Peritoneal disease is a cancer that starts in the abdominal organs and then spreads to the lining and surface of the abdominal wall. Typically, stage IV cancer is incurable. However, peritoneal disease can be treated.

Given the complexity of the case, doctors in Manipal decided to perform CRS (cytoreductive surgery) and HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemosurgery) – both very complex and challenging surgeries.

“These surgeries are combined with surgical removal of the cancerous tumor and heated chemotherapy on the abdomen to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment,” Dr. Sanjeev explained.

“Despite an initial poor prognosis, the patient was successfully treated under the guidance of our team and returned home with a better quality of life. The success of his treatment highlights the importance of advanced medical solutions for complex problems such as cancer ,”The doctor said.

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