Moges Simenew from Ethiopia Finds the Best Treatment for Parotid Cancer in India at Artemis Hospital

The first words that 38-year-old Moges Simenew uttered the moment he was diagnosed with cancer were, “Excuse me, what?” Nothing could have prepared him for when the doctor diagnosed him with Parotid cancer. He recalls the fateful day that an ordinary physical exam turned into a nightmare as a swelling was discovered on his neck. He later came to know that this swelling was caused by a tumor.

There are two main classifications of tumors. One is known as benign and the other as malignant. Benign is used to describe both medical conditions and tumors, and usually refers to a process that’s not especially dangerous. Benign tumors also take time to grow in size, it can take years for one to grow an inch plus, whereas, malignant tumors are specified as dangerous and cancerous. These tumors experience a rapid growth. They can grow within a few weeks excessively.

After getting in touch with Vadiam Health, Moges was provided with top cancer hospitals in India and he decided to go with Artemis Hospital. He got an appointment to meet Dr. Biswajyoti Hazarika. To determine if cancer has metastasized to other parts of his body, Dr. Biswajyoti ordered a full body CT scan. Thankfully for Moges, the cancer was still at a very dormant stage and had not spread to the other parts of his body. In order for Dr. Biswajyoti to remove the cancerous cells, he would have to perform a minimally invasive surgery and follow it up with radiotherapy.

The surgery was predicted to be three hours long but it lasted around four. A tumor had wrapped itself around Moges’ carotid artery, which makes removal rather tricky. Eventually, Dr. Biswajyoti - one of the top cancer specialist doctors in India, performed very well under the circumstances and without sacrificing any of Moges’ facial features. Dr. Biswajyoti grafted a nerve from the top of Moges’ right ear into place. The skin grafting was supposed to regenerate and grow and pull Moges’ face up. “The treatment wasn’t too bad; I didn’t feel particularly sick, although I felt tired, and lost the use of my taste buds. I also lost my appetite but was determined to keep eating solid food” said a relieved Moges.

Post surgery, Moges underwent a two-month radiation and chemotherapy treatment from May – June 2018 at Artemis Hospital, to completely destroy the cancerous cells. “These two months have been the most painful in my life,” says Moges. During the period he was receiving treatment at Artemis, Moges could not feed himself. Nothing could pass through his mouth and he had to be fed through a drip. “I was discharged in June and have been gradually recovering since”.

When asked about his experience at the hospital, Moges say: “I was extremely well looked after by the team at Artemis Hospital; I got to know them very well although it was all very emotional. Everyone at the hospital, without exception, were truly professional and fun. Cancer treatment wasn’t a nice thing to go through, but they made it very bearable. I got to know them very well, especially since I have a follow-up consultation in two months time.

Vaidam wishes Moges a speedy recovery and a quick return for a clean bill of health in the months to come.