Mumbai doctors treat 77-year-old Zambian man with triple cancers

Mumbai: A 77-year-old man from Zambia was given a new life by doctors here after suffering from cancers of the colon, metastatic prostate and thyroid.

The patient George Namakando was presented to Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai with symptoms of rectal bleeding and constipation.

He had, in 2015, undergone surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which revealed prostatic malignancy.

Evaluation by doctors at Jaslok revealed a growth in his large intestine that was diagnosed as a cancer of the sigmoid colon -- the S-shaped last part of the large intestine. In addition, an enlarged prostate with extensive osteosclerotic skeletal lesions indicative of metastasis (spread) was observed.

Imaging studies, including a PET scan, revealed localised sigmoid colon tumour, localised thyroid cancer, and prostate cancer with extensive bone metastasis.

A multidisciplinary team comprising gastrointestinal surgeons, head and neck cancer surgeons, medical oncologists, urologists, and a nuclear medicine specialist decided on a surgical intervention for colon and thyroid cancer followed by Lutetium PSMA Radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

On January 6, 2024, George underwent two major surgeries simultaneously under single anaesthesia. Despite the lengthy duration of approximately 7 to 8 hours of surgery, he demonstrated remarkable tolerance to the procedures.

“The patient had three malignancies of the colon, thyroid, and prostate at the same time. PET CT scans with different isotopes helped to characterise these three malignancies and map out their spread in the body and to decide which malignancy had spread,” said Dr Vikram Lele, Director of Nuclear Medicine at Jaslok Hospital.

“Thyroid cancer will be treated with radioactive Iodine later. Nuclear medicine is thus playing the major part in the diagnosis and therapy of this patient,” he added.

The doctor said that George has been discharged from the hospital under stable conditions and is doing well now.

“I have survived this only because of the complete team of well-experienced doctors. They always kept my family updated about every minute detail,” said George, while thanking the medical team.