TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Asia University Hospital Hematologist Lai Yen-ting (賴彥廷) said the medical team successfully treated a man surnamed Liao (廖) for a lymphoma in his neck about the size of an ostrich egg.

Liao received chemotherapy and supportive care, including IV fluids, electrolyte balancing, and measures to protect kidney function, per CNA. The tumor has completely disappeared, and he has been discharged. Follow-up treatment will be arranged as needed.

Lai said Liao first noticed a hard lump in his neck in May but relied on painkillers instead of seeking treatment. He visited the hospital only after the lump grew significantly and became unbearably painful. The diagnosis was Burkitt’s lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive cancer that grows rapidly and often affects the jaw, abdomen, or central nervous system.

The tumor was just 0.1 cm from Liao’s trachea, meaning further delay could have led to suffocation. Lai noted that while chemotherapy was effective, the rapid death of cancer cells released large amounts of waste into the bloodstream, risking kidney blockage, sudden kidney failure, and the need for dialysis.

Lai added that lymph nodes are found throughout the body, with higher concentrations in the neck, armpits, groin, and abdomen. They often swell and become inflamed in response to infections as part of the body’s immune defenses.