Somai’s carelessness could have cost him dearly- even his life. This is something we can learn from.

After doctors were able to remove a massive tumor from the neck of an Indian farmer, he had plenty to be grateful for.

Somai, a 55-year-old farmer from Basti in the state of Uttar Pradesh, had ignored the growth of this tumor for two decades. He thought it was just a third gland that had swollen until it grew to be almost the same size as his head.

When the tumor, which was actually benign, was removed from Somai, it weighed about 1.4kg- about the same size as three pints of milk.

To remove the tumor, Somai had to undergo an operation that took almost three hours. For the first time in years, Somai can now move his head without causing himself discomfort.

According to one of the specialists at King George Medical Center in Lucknow, finding a tumor as big as that is extremely unusual.

Somai was growing at an alarming rate, but after a doctor’s intervention, he is on the mend and should be leaving the hospital soon.

After visiting the doctors, he was informed that the growth had transformed into a sub-mandibular tumor. This implies that his salivary gland was the source of the problem. About half of all tumors developing there are benign and non-cancerous, and most can be treated with a simple surgical procedure.

Somai, who withheld his last name, had a successful surgery that now allows him to move his head without restriction.

Dr. Omkar Vedak, a member of the surgical team that operated Soma, stated, “Somai came into our outpatients’ department on the 12th of July and was immediately admitted. When we went through the reports of the scan, we decided that the growth needed to be removed as early as possible. Thus, we conducted the surgery the next day”.

“The surgery was quite challenging, and it took us about three hours to complete. The tumor was sub-mandibular, and it was already pressing hard on the carotid arteries. These arteries are major blood vessels in the body, and they supply blood to parts like the face, brain and neck”.

“When we removed the tumor, we weighed it ad it was a whopping 1.4kg”.

Somai’s tumor was pressing against the carotid arteries the same blood vessels you feel a pulse in when holding your neck. These particular arteries are quite essential.

Salivary gland tumors commonly start small and are just beneath the jawline. Ten to twenty percent of all salivary gland tumors originate here, and half of those usually prove cancerous.

Dr. Vadek continued, “The sub-mandibular glands are located just below the jaw. They are responsible for the secretion of saliva under the tongue. If the tumorous nodules were smaller, then we would have had an easier time operating on them. However, Somai’s lump was quit massive, and that definitely made things a bit more complicated for us. Regardless, we were able to get the job done and now, Somai is recuperating post-surgery. As soon as his stiches have been removed, he will be discharged and free to go home”