The patient, identified with the initials MVV, entered the Emergency Department with intense abdominal pain. Tomographic studies revealed a large tumor mass dependent on the left ovary, with signs suspicious of malignancy, which motivated immediate intervention by the Oncological Surgery team.
The operation, which lasted about four hours, was carried out by the team led by Dr. Marco Antonio Quispe Choquechambi. During the procedure, it was confirmed that the tumor had a 270-degree torsion, a condition that caused acute pain and that, paradoxically, allowed the oncological process to be detected before it spread to other organs.
Timely finding in the middle of an emergency
“The tumor occupied a large part of the abdominopelvic cavity and represented an imminent risk to the patient’s life, because it was broken, twisted and actively bleeding. Her decision to go quickly to the hospital and the priority given to the case were decisive,” explained Dr. Quispe.
As part of the intervention, staging surgery for ovarian cancer was performed, which included resection of the tumor, the uterus, both adnexa, the greater omentum, and the appendix; pelvic sampling, peritoneal biopsies and aspiration of ascitic fluid. These procedures were essential to accurately establish the clinical stage of the disease.
The magnitude of the operation responded both to the large size of the tumor mass—which occupied almost the entire abdominal cavity—and to the need to rigorously comply with the oncological staging criteria.
Currently, the patient is in the recovery phase and will continue with adjuvant treatment with the aim of starting chemotherapy and maintaining periodic check-ups. Because detection occurred at an early stage, the probabilities of overall survival are favorable.
Importance of early detection
Dr. Quispe also emphasized the importance of timely consultation. “The patient reported having felt the tumor for more than three years, but she only went when the intense pain appeared. If she had sought care earlier, the tumor would not have reached this size. We invite the population not to expect serious symptoms and to go immediately to any mass or unusual change in the body,” urged the specialist.
For his part, the executive president of EsSalud, Dr. Segundo Acho Mego, congratulated the medical team and highlighted the commitment of the Hospital Base III Puno in providing timely, humanized and specialized care for highly complex oncological cases.
