No leg, no lung but he's not giving up hope

He is only 26 years old but has already lost his right leg and his right lung.

Now the cancerous cells have spread to his left lung. Doctors have told him to be prepared for the worst. But Simon (not his real name) is not giving up hope. If chemotherapy and radiation fail, he said, he is prepared to have part of his left lung removed too.

Simon, a software analyst, suffers from advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS), a rare form of cancer which grows around the muscle. He had to have his right leg amputated two years ago.

About a month later, he said, his girlfriend dumped him. They had been together for about six months. 'That was a blow to my heart and mind,' he said. 'I felt helpless and useless.'

A sportsman who loved swimming and bodybuilding, he started having cramps in his right leg in January 2001. He thought it was due to over-exercise. However, when the cramps persisted for several months, he went to a doctor. The doctor was shocked to see the swollen right leg, which was then 1 ½ times bigger than the other leg, and immediately referred him to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

SGH doctors detected the cancer and said his leg had to be amputated. Simon broke down at the news.

'I didn't expect to get cancer as there was no family history of cancer and I was so young,' he recalled.

The night before the operation on Sep 19, 2001 was difficult. 'I could not sleep that night. I was about to lose my leg.'

The next morning, he called his office from SGH and told his supervisor for the first time about his operation. He had not do so earlier for fear of losing his job.

Just before he was wheeled into the operating theatre at noon, he blacked out from fear.

Later, when he regained consciousness, he felt calmer. He patted his right leg and said 'goodbye'.

Among the visitors later was his company's managing director who told him his job was safe. His company also paid part of his medical bill of about $20,000.

His doctors attached his artificial leg just before Christmas in 2001.

Simon, who was still well enough to work when he spoke to The New Paper earlier this month, recalled his joy when he was finally able to walk.

But last July, he had a relapse. The cancerous cells spread to his right lung, which had to be removed.

Recently there was more bad news - the cancer has spread to his left lung.

'My doctor told me to prepare for the worst and do the things that I want to do with the remaining time.'

No time frame was given.

Simon said: 'Time is running out but I am praying for a miracle.' Don't lose hope, he tells other cancer patients - for whom he has also posted his story on the cancer awareness website www.cancerstory.com.

My doctor told me to prepare for the worst and do the things that I want to do with the remaining time.

Additional report :

What is soft-tissue sarcoma?

WHEN contacted, SGH orthopaedic surgery senior consultant Dr Tan Mann Hong described soft-tissue sarcoma as cancer in muscles and nerve tissue.

'If the sarcoma is diagnosed at an early stage, it can be effectively treated with radiation and chemotherapy.'

But if not detected early, the cancerous cells invade the tissue and wrap themselves around the blood vessels. The affected limb then has to be amputated.

The cancerous cells also tend to spread to the lungs. What causes sarcoma is unknown.

Dr Tan said that, according to researchers, it can be due to genetics – and previous radiation treatment can also make one more vulnerable to sarcoma. 'However, there are patients who do not have such traits.'

About 70 cases of sarcoma are reported here every year. It can attack young and old alike. Dr Tan has even seen a baby with sarcoma.