Mr. Mohamed is a 24 year old young man. He was an active 2nd year student of clinical Pharmacy, played soccer (a Goal keeper) and was active on social media like any other college goer.

Diagnosis of Naso-pharyngeal carcinoma:

His problems started by March 2015, when he started experiencing difficulty in swallowing and a swelling in the neck region. The long history of repeated scans, blood tests and biopsies began. By April 2015, he was diagnosed with Naso-pharyngeal carcinoma at a hospital in Cairo. Within the next few days, he was operated and then started on concurrent chemotherapy with radiotherapy.

Worsening condition:

He developed severe toxicity due to secondary infection, something that the Doctors there did not anticipate and his immunity levels were compromised. Mr. Mohamed had to stop treatment even before the planned chemotherapy with radiotherapy cycles were over.

A CT Scan done by August 2015 showed that cancer has spread to the lungs and was informed that his disease was not curable. Being a student of clinical Pharmacy and the information he gathered in social media, he decided to dig deeper and fight cancer. He was again planned for chemotherapy, even which he did not complete.

Closed doors:

By this time, he had developed severe lung infection leading to lung abscess and a fistula. He went home with a very weak body (Body weight 33kg) and a foul smelling drain tube hanging from his chest. His father was given the idea that cancer has taken away his son and he is dying already. A college going football player and a student of Clinical pharmacy- Now rendered with a very poor quality of life. But then he did not give up.

Last hope- MIOT:

He arrived at MIOT Hospitals on 04.08.2017. He was severely emaciated and was breathless on admission. He was previously treated at several hospitals in Sudan, Cairo and at one point informed that he has incurable and terminal stage cancer. He came to MIOT International for opinion on further management or at least a removal of his drain tube.

Multidisciplinary team at MIOT evaluated Mr. Mohamed. His initial PET CT scan done here showed extensive disease involving Naso-pharynx, neck nodes and multiple lung metastasis (cancer that spreads to a different part of the body from where it started). Multiple biopsies done from all three places turned positive for cancer. Preliminary tests and previous reports showed that he had HPV (Human Papilloma virus) – positive Nasopharyngeal cancer. The only ray of hope in his case was that, HPV Positive head and neck cancers have better prognosis and good cure rates

Treatment done:

Cardio thoracic team and pulmonology team of MIOT International started Specific Antibiotics for his lung infection and he started recovering. Simultaneously he underwent treatment for cancer cachexia (marked weight loss in patients with cancer that cannot be reversed by normal nutritional support). The boy started improving and his infection was getting controlled. The Cardiothoracic team undertook the Herculean task of closing his chest drain and allowing the fistula to close since infection was responding to broad spectrum antibiotics.

Now, once his chest tube site started healing, the next work was to handle his major issue- cancer. The Oncology team was determined to go ahead and treat him with chemotherapy. He was put on chemotherapy on 13.09.2017.

Progress to betterment:

Mr. Mohamed started improving drastically. His chest wounds started healing. After 3 cycles of chemotherapy his weight was 70kg, which indicated that his immunity is bouncing back to normal. An Interim PET-CT Scan done on 13.11.2017, showing Complete Regression with no Cancer remnant seen in lungs, lymph nodes or Naso-pharynx!!

Mr. Mohamed is all smiles and celebrations and is keen on completing three more cycles and flying back home. Victorious!!

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