The World’s Largest Facial Tumour Removed

A 37-year-old man has undergone his fourth surgery to remove the world’s largest facial tumour in in Guangzhou, China.

Burdened with one of the world’s most extreme cases of neurofibromatosis, Huang’s face was covered with massive tumors weighing a total of 22 kilograms. The tumour first became noticable when he turned four and as he grew up, it became bigger and bigger.

At the age of 10 he quited school because his classmates laughed and alienated him because of his condition. All of his teeth fell off at the age of 25 and thereafter, he found it difficult to speak and eat.

Exceptionally large tumors have left Huang’s bones undeveloped, caused his spine to buckle and restricted his breathing–a life-crippling condition. “Chinese Elephant Man” is now able to live a relatively normal life after he underwent another round of surgery at a hospital to remove the mammoth groeth from his left cheek.

“I feel really good, this time my face feels even better – much lighter and it’s easier to eat. I hope I can do some work and earn some money – I will be helping to run our local shop. I don’t look as scary as before now my tumour is much smaller.”

Neurofibromatosis is the name for a number of genetic conditions that cause swellings or lumps caused by a growth of cells. Although many people who have the condition inherit it from one of their parents, up to 50 per cent develop it randomly from a gene mutation before they are born.