Neng was only 26 when he knew something was wrong with him. He would feel tickles down his throat. It itched, and he coughed frequently. He couldn’t lie flat, so he couldn’t sleep properly unless he lain sideway with his head propped up. It became increasingly difficult to breathe, and his voice became hoarser and fainter day by day. At the end of 2022, Neng was diagnosed with high-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma on his right neck.
WORDS LIM TECK CHOON
Fibromyxoid sarcoma is a rare form of soft tissue cancer.
It can affect different parts of the body such as the arms, legs, abdomen, head, and neck regions.
People with fibromyxoid sarcoma has a solitary firm mass at the affected body part, but this mass can be difficult to detect.
Even when detected, the mass is often misdiagnosed as other types of tumours.
Further complicating matters is that treatment of fibromyxoid sarcoma is challenging because of how rare this cancer is.
A TUMOUR IN THE RIGHT NECK
 FEATURED EXPERTDR ENG CHEE YEAN Consultant ENT, Head and Neck, Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgeon Subang Jaya Medical Centre |
Dr Eng Chee Yean, who led the medical team that treated Neng, told us that a tumour was found in Neng’s right neck.
“Advanced imaging showed that the cancerous tumour has encased and compressed the carotid artery,” he says.
He adds that the tumour had also displaced and compressed the neck airway, and extended down into the chest, reaching close to Neng’s heart.
A RACE AGAINST TIME
Because the tumour had compressed his airway and making it hard for Neng to breath, it is urgent to remove that tumour via surgery.
However, surgery is risky due to the how close the tumour is to Neng’s heart, major nerves, neck airway, and blood vessels.
Complications during the surgery could lead to Neng falling into a coma, experiencing a stroke, or becoming dependent on a breathing machine for the rest of his life. He might even die!
“I’LL DO IT!”
Even knowing the risks, Neng was determined to take risk. He would go for the surgery.
Dr Eng recalls: “I had to make sure that the tumour was removed completely from the neck without damaging the trachea and important nerves. Despite the complex nature of the case, Neng displayed tremendous courage, and we were determined to provide him with the best possible care.”
Fortunately, the surgery was successful, and Neng had a smooth and seedy recovery, followed by radiotherapy sessions.
“I would not have made it without the love and support of my family and the skills of the doctors. They saved my life,” Neng muses.
NEVER TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED
He adds, “For me, the greatest relief was I could lie down flat again. It’s the little things that we take for granted, you know? So, if you sense something is wrong with your body, don’t wait. Get it checked. You never know how much time you have left.”
| This article is part of our series on inspirational real-life stories of people overcoming health-related adversities. |
