A woman in Texas has spoken out after doctors removed a 17-pound (7.7kg) tumour from her abdomen, which she had initially attributed to weight gain. Amanda Shoultz, 29, from Dallas, began noticing her stomach swelling in January, but lifestyle changes failed to reduce it.
Despite a normal checkup, Shoultz, who works in public relations at a hospital, sought further medical advice after her stomach became 'hard as a rock'. A CT scan in September revealed a 33cm cancerous tumour, later diagnosed as liposarcoma, a rare cancer affecting around 2,000 people annually in the US.
Surgeons removed the tumour within six days of diagnosis, along with a kidney and adrenal gland to which it had attached. The procedure was successful, and Shoultz required no additional treatment as the cancer had not spread. She now weighs 108 pounds (49kg) after the removal.
Shoultz shared her story on Instagram, expressing gratitude to her medical team and emphasising the importance of listening to one's body. 'No one else is going to need to fight for you, so fight for yourself,' she told Good Morning America.
