City doctors remove volleyball-sized tumor

A tumor the size of a volleyball has been removed from a 44-year-old woman’s pelvic cavity by doctors at Renji Hospital, the hospital said on Wednesday.

The woman from Zhejiang Province had paid little attention to her expanding waistline in recent years but after a check at a local hospital found a lump she consulted Shanghai doctors in November. 

Dr Zhu Jie decided to operate after it was found the tumor had caused adhesion of major blood vessels. It was a risky operation as any mistake could lead to serious hemorrhaging, Zhu said.

During surgery that lasted 90 minutes, doctors removed a tumor that was 22 centimeters in diameter and weighing over 4.7 kilograms. 

Dr Di Wen, Renji’s vice president, said the tumor was a uterine fibroid, a common benign tumor that can affect around 80 percent of women after the menopause. 

It was rare to see such a large one, Di said, adding that regular checkups were important for early detection and treatment.