Doctors were convinced a Norwegian man was simply fat for 12 years — but his growing belly was actually growing with a 60-pound malignant tumor.
He was diagnosed with obesity and prescribed Ozempic before the growth was discovered, which required a 10-hour surgery to remove it.
59 year old Thomas Kraut underwent operation in Oslo, Norway the stomach got biggerDoctors were initially convinced that he was simply overweight.
According to reports, he sent her on weight loss and nutrition courses while the cancer was growing inside her.
Kraut, originally from Germany, moved to Norway in 2008 to work as an optician, while his wife Ines works in the health sector.
He started having health problems in 2011 abdominal distensionHe was initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity in 2012.
But 12 years later, a doctor took a closer look at him while preparing for a gastric sleeve operation to deal with his obesity. That’s when they realized that Kraut was not only overweight but a huge malignant tumor was growing inside him.
“My stomach was getting bigger and bigger. I went from one doctor to another and in 2019 I was finally approved for the gastric sleeve,” he said.
“The doctors only talked about being overweight and diabetes. I was given Ozempic for diabetes and had to attend nutrition and fitness courses for several years before the gastric sleeve.
The doctor immediately realized that the hard surface of Thomas’ stomach was not fat.
“It put pressure on my stomach. It was hard, Kraut said, and not soft, as is the case with fat.
“Also, I had lost so much weight with the change in diet and Ozempic that my face and arms became very thin. Only my stomach was big. The doctor even said I was actually malnourished.”
The doctor immediately ordered a CT scan which revealed a very large tumor.
Kraut admitted, “It was a real shock to me.” “My kidneys were affected because the tumor was affecting my right kidney.”
It took doctors two weeks to diagnose Kraut with a rare fatty tumor, which was actually composed of many small cancerous areas surrounded by fat.
On September 26, 2023, Kraut underwent a 10-hour operation to remove the huge tumor. Once removed, it weighed 60.18 pounds (27 kg) and measured 20.59 inches (52.3 cm) in diameter.
It caused significant damage to his body and part of his small intestine, and his right kidney also had to be removed, with cancer tissue still growing inside him.
“I go to a psychologist for treatment every two weeks. I have to see an oncologist twice a year because the tumor tissue is still growing inside me. I was told it couldn’t be removed because it was attached to many organs,” he said.
Kraut and his wife have filed a lawsuit against doctors who failed to detect the huge and potentially fatal tumor.
It was initially dismissed because the type of tumor is so rare that doctors said they could not be blamed for failing to detect it.
His lawyers have already filed an objection against the dismissal.
“My lawyer has lodged an objection. It’ll work out somehow,” Kraut said.
