Man, 59, dismissed as a ‘fat and diabetic’ for 12 years had 60lb cancerous tumour growing in his stomach
A MAN had a 60lb cancerous tumour removed after 12 years of doctors telling him he was just fat.
Thomas Kraut, who lived in Olso, Norway, was even prescribed weight-loss jabs and sent on nutrition and diet courses while the cancer grew inside him.
The tumour was only discovered when doctors were preparing him for a gastric sleeve operation to tackle his obesity.
"I had lost so much weight with the change in diet and Ozempic that my face and arms were very thin," the 59-year-old explained.
"The doctor even said that I was actually malnourished."
Thomas, originally from Germany, moved to Norway to work as an optician in 2008, while his wife Ines works in the health sector.
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In 2011, he began having health problems, with his stomach getting bigger and bigger.
He was initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity in 2012.
But it was only 12 years later that doctors finally realised that he was not just overweight and that he had a malignant growth growing inside him.
Thomas was immediately sent for a CT scan which revealed the giant tumour.
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"It was a real shock for me. My kidney was affected because the tumour was feeding on my right kidney," he explained.
It took doctors two weeks to diagnose Thomas with a rare fatty tumour that was made up of multiple smaller cancerous areas surrounded by fat.
Thomas then endured a gruelling 10-hour operation to remove the huge tumour
The tumour weighed 27kg (60.18 lbs) and measured 52.3 centimetres (20.59 inches) in diameter.
It had caused significant damage to his body and part of his small intestine and his right kidney had to be removed.
Thomas still has cancerous tissue growing inside him, saying: "I go to a psychologist for therapy every two weeks.
"I have to go to the oncologist twice a year because I still have tumour tissue inside me that is growing.
"I was told that it cannot be removed because it is connected to several organs."
Thomas and Ines have filed a lawsuit against the doctors who failed to detect the huge and potentially deadly tumour.
It was initially dismissed because the type of tumour is so rare that the doctors said that they could not be blamed for having failed to detect it.
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His lawyer has already filed an objection against the dismissal.
Thomas said: "My lawyer has lodged an objection, it will work out somehow."
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