Mumbai Woman’s ‘Dementia’ Turns Out to Be Rare Brain Tumour at Wockhardt Hospitals

A 64-year-old woman was rushed to the Emergency Department at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, in a comatose state, barely able to breathe on her own. For nearly 12 hours, she had been slipping in and out of consciousness, responding only to painful stimuli.

But the story began much earlier. Over the past two to three months, her family had noticed troubling changes. She wasn’t forgetting old memories – those remained intact – but she frequently misplaced keys, forgot what she cooked for dinner, or what she ate the previous day. Initially subtle, her memory lapses grew striking in frequency over the last month.

Concerned, her family consulted a neurologist, who suspected age-related dementia and advised an MRI. Believing it to be “just dementia,” the family postponed further tests and opted only for supportive medicines.

By the time she arrived at Wockhardt, her condition was critical. An urgent MRI revealed a shocking truth – a large tumour that had originated in her nasal cavity, eroded the bone between the nose and brain, and spread upwards into her brain. The diagnosis: a rare squamous cell carcinoma of the nose, unusually aggressive and invasive.

Dr. Keval Shukla, Consultant Brain and Spine Surgeon, and Dr. Nipa Velumittam,performed a complex, combined surgery – simultaneously approaching through the brain and the nose – to remove the tumour. Post-surgery, she required ventilator support and intensive care.

But within days, her recovery gave the family a moment they’ll never forget. After 10 days in the ICU, she opened her eyes, recognised her son, and spoke to him – for the first time in weeks. What the family feared was irreversible Alzheimer’s-like memory loss turned out to be a treatable condition, and the joy of seeing her regain her identity was overwhelming.

“This was one of those rare cases where memory loss was not due to age-related dementia but an underlying tumour masquerading as one,” said Dr. Shukla. “It reminds us that timely investigations like an MRI can change the entire course of a patient’s life.”

The patient has now been discharged and is doing well, preparing to begin radiation and chemotherapy for complete treatment.

This case is a reminder, especially on World Alzheimer’s Day, that not all memory loss is dementia. Sometimes, it signals a deeper, hidden problem – and early medical evaluation can make the difference between despair and a second chance at life.