Everyone thought that Kevin Daly's large stomach was just beer belly, the type of unsightly visceral fats that develop with age, and often as a result of excessive consumption of beer.
Beer Belly Did Not Shrink Even After Weight Loss
However, Daly, a financial planner, thought that it was more than just a protruding belly when he lost 34 pounds after an open-heart surgery three years ago but his stomach did not shrink.
He initially suspected that doctors left some stuffing and tools during the 2015 surgery. It turns out that the cause of his abnormally large abdomen is something else.
CAT scans revealed that his supposed beer belly was a massive mass that's already occupying most of his abdominal cavity.
He sought medical help and Julio Teixeira, from Lenox Hill Hospital, scheduled the 62-year-old for a surgery right away. Doctors carefully conducted a six-hour operation to remove Daly's tumor in one piece.
Beach Ball-Sized Tumor That Weighs 30 Pounds
The tumor was the size of a beach ball and weighed a whopping 30 pounds. It was liposarcoma, a low grade and fatty cancer that starts in the fat cells of the body. Liposarcomas can grow anywhere in the body but they often develop in the abdomen or limbs.
According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, there are only about 2,000 people in the United States who get diagnosed with this type of cancer per year, or about one-fifth of soft tissue cancers or sarcomas detected in the country.
"Although these tumors are large and malignant, they grow slowly and tend to not metastasize," Teixeira said. "Often there's a very good prognosis."
The tumor was found wrapped around one of Daly's organs. Teixeira said that they decided to remove one kidney because the tumor was invading and they had to ensure that they remove all of it.
A few months after the operation, Daly said he feels great. He does not need chemotherapy or radiation since the tumor is slow-growing and there is a little risk it would metastasize.
Organs Now Back In Their Right Places
Nonetheless, he is monitored with regular MRIs. Images from his first MRI scan showed that his organs are already back in their intended places.
"Now, they're all in the right place," Daly said. "Before the surgery, my left descending colon was pushed under my sternum. I could touch it through my skin to make my food digest."
