Belly of the man was a 77-pound tumor

The belly of Hector Hernandez began to develop about five years ago and, like many of us, he feared for his weight to change his body.

Yet despite dieting, her abdomen continued to grow. The rest of him remained thin.

Finally, in June of this year, the resident of Downey, California, sought medical help. After undergoing a CT scan, he was diagnosed with a type of cancerous tumor called retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

Dr. William Tseng, Sarcoma expert and professor of surgical oncology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, soon took charge of the case.

"Sarcoma is a complex disease," Tseng said in a USC press release. "There are 50 to 70 different subtypes, each unique, and they can grow anywhere in the body. Because of its complexity, you want to consult a sarcoma specialist who has a thorough knowledge of the disease. I was also fascinated by the fact that it was a very rare disease, so it did not attract much attention. Sarcomas account for only 1% of all cancers in adults. "

Liposarcomas are among the most important malignant tumors that can develop in the human body. The mbades, which form from fat cells within the connective tissue, often reach 10 kg or more. Although they can occur in almost all areas of the body, liposarcomas are more common in the thigh and abdominal cavity. The term retroperitoneal refers to the location of the tumor on the outside and / or behind the peritoneum, the membrane of the abdomen that surrounds, connects and supports many organs

In July, Dr. Tseng withdrew Hernandez's mbad during a complex six-hour operation.

"You work around the tumor," Tseng explained. "You really need to think about the disease, the adjacent organs or vessels that you can safely remove, and what is best for the patient in terms of long-term results and quality of life."

Total excised tumor tissue weighed 77 pounds. . And after a week of recovery, Hernandez had lost 100 pounds, according to CBS News Los Angeles.

Because cancer cells did not spread (about 90% of retroperitoneal liposarcomas never metastasized), Hernandez did not require chemotherapy or radiation. should be monitored for recurrence of the tumor in the same area. Data collected in several studies show that patients who undergo complete resection of the primary tumor have an overall survival rate of 54 to 70%, but that 41 to 50% of these patients will present a recurrent mbad instead in the 5 years after surgery. [19659002] To this day, Hernandez would be in good health and would appreciate his newly slender figure.

"It was very rewarding to see his pictures before and after and to see him again at the height that he had four or five years ago," says Tseng. "Being able to take him out safely and to see him enjoying a good quality of life afterwards is a problem. "

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