Anatomy of a Tumour: A Patient's Intimate Dialogue with the Scourge

Synopsis: The patient is Sudhansu Mohanty, an Indian civil servant in his early fifties; his scourge is the carcinoid tumour which, unknown to him, he has been carrying around for some time Mohanty’s introduction to this ‘scourge’ was gradual - starting with an almost-continuous fatigue, followed by intermittentdiarrhoea, a loss of appetite, enhanced perspiring, especially while eating, and a wasting away of muscles. He ignored them all, he lived in denial. Before he knew it, he was overtaken by nemesis in the form of a sharp drop in his haemoglobin. The cause is carcinoid - a rare form of cancer, rare in terms of appearance, hard to detect in its nascent stages, and, therefore, all the more deadly. In Mohanty’s case, it was suspected early, post-colonoscopy, thanks to the perspicacity of his gastroenterologist who – most unusual for a physician - pronounced: ‘I consider this malignant. I want to go in and see.’ The author takes the reader on his four-year-long odyssey with carcinoid, the rogue cancer. He touches lightly on his back-to-back surgeries and experiences in the hospital. He describes alternative remedies for cancer - eating asparagus, broccoli, lime, lemon grass - suggestions forwarded to him by well-wishers. He uses the Internet and finds the stories of fellow-sufferers. He narrates his ‘battles’ to ‘live’ life full tilt: holding down a demanding day job while he undergoes a third surgery; and, as though nothing has interrupted his life, even contemplates a sabbatical in a US university. Anatomy of a Tumour is a tale of courage and hope. Mohanty’s writing is imbued with both humour and courage, and clearly reflects his determination to face all odds with the same ‘gung-ho’ spirit that has informed his life.