A team of surgeons in India led by Dr. Trimurti Nadkarni have successfully removed a 1.873kg tumour believed to be the largest in the world from the head of Santlal Pal, a 31-year-old vendor.

Pal, who sells clothes in  Uttar Pradesh, India was said to have had the swelling six month ago, which rapidly grew into a mass as big as his head.

Dr Nadkarni who spearheaded the surgery conducted at BYL Nair Charitable Hospital said as the tumour grew, it compressed Pal’s brain and  consequently impaired his vision.

Describing the tumour as the ‘largest in the world’ based on comparative studies conducted by his team, Dr Nadkarni said the operation which took place on February 14 was life – threatening and tricky as the tumour was embedded in Pal’s brain.

“The tumour’s growth had breached the man’s skull and was growing under the man’s scalp. The basic size of the tumour was daunting. It was compressing the brain,” Dr Nadkarni said.

“Pressure built up within Pal’s brain and affected his optic nerve, leading him to lose his vision. He is now in recovery at the hospital and is walking around and has a 50 percent chance that he will regain his vision,” Nadkarni added.

Dr Nadkarni further disclosed that although Pal was not showing any symptoms of cancer, it had not yet been ascertained if the tumour was benign or malignant.