Surgeons successfully remove ‘world’s largest brain tumour’

Trimurti Nadkarn has led a team of surgeons to remove a 1.873kg tumour from the head of Santlal Pal, a 31-year-old man.

Pal, a cloth vendor from a village in Uttar Pradesh, India, was said to have had a swelling six months earlier, and it rapidly grew into a mass as big as his head.

Nadkarni conducted the operation at BYL Nair Charitable Hospital. He said as the tumour grew, it compressed Pal’s brain and impaired his vision.

He said the surgery, which took place on February 14, was life-threatening and tricky as the tumour was embedded in the brain.

Nadkarni described the tumour as the “largest in the world” based on comparative studies conducted by his team.

“The tumour’s growth had breached the man’s skull and was growing under the man’s scalp, said Nadkarni.

“The basic size of the tumour was daunting. It was compressing the brain.

“Pressure built up within Pal’s brain and affected his optic nerve, leading him to lose his vision.”

Nadkami said although Pal is not presenting any symptoms of cancer, it is not yet known if the tumour was benign or malignant.

“He is now in recovery at the hospital and is walking around and has a 50 percent chance that he will regain his vision,” Nadkarni said.