Local doctors remove a 10-kilo tumor from woman's face
Local doctors have successfully removed a 10-kilogram tumor from a woman's face, Shanghai No.9 People’s Hospital announced.
The woman suffers from neurofibromatosis, a rare disease caused by mutation of gene NF1. It causes benign tumors generated from the nervous system. Though not cancerous, the disease results in severe deformities. There is no cure for the condition except for surgery to remove the tumors.
The patient lived with her tumor for 30 years and it had grown to cover the entire left side of her face. She suffered serious psychological distress because of her appearance, which made her fearful to leave home or been seen by other people.
The patient said she and her family visited many hospitals and all declined to treat her.
She went to Shanghai No.9 People’s Hospital under suggestion of a medical expert in another province.
Dr Li Qingfeng received her case and conducted a 10-hour surgery to remove the growth.
In addition to performing the surgery, Li and his team have been researching neurofibromatosis in recent years. They have cooperated with pharmaceutical companies to carry out new drug research and China’s first medicine on the disease is expected to go into phase-one trials soon, the hospital announced.
Dr Li Qingfeng (right) performs tumor removal surgery.
