02 Apr, 2025
02 Apr, 2025
- Story of Cancer Fighter, Resham Tamang from Nepal
Paying attention to persistent symptoms is the key to timely detection of cancer. Symptoms associated with cancer neither go away nor improve with medications. With time, they get worse. Persistent symptoms should be evaluated to find out the underlying cause and seek appropriate treatment, just like Resham Tamang did.
Resham Tamang, a resident of Nepal, was recently diagnosed with rectal cancer. He started experiencing symptoms like pain while passing stools and bloody stools about 4-5 months ago. One of the local doctors told him that he would end up with a permanent colostomy bag. In the hope of a different outcome, he flew down to India to receive treatment at HCG’s flagship center in Bengaluru.
Read his rectal cancer story to the end to find out how HCG approached his case and what Resham is looking forward to.
It all started when Resham Tamang began experiencing difficulties with bowel movements, pain while passing stools, and rectal bleeding. Since these symptoms did not improve, Resham and his family realized something was wrong, and he had to see a doctor to find out what was causing these symptoms.
Concerned for Resham’s health, his brother Deepak Tamang and other family members accompanied him to see a doctor at a reputable hospital in Green City, Nepal. The doctor there carefully examined Resham and told him that he would need surgery, which involved the removal of the rectum and permanent placement of a colostomy bag. The idea of living with a colostomy bag for the rest of his life left Resham in a state of distraught.
He hoped for a better outcome, and this hope made him look further for a better treatment setting for his condition.
Since living with a colostomy bag was not an option for Resham, he, along with his family, started looking for other cancer hospitals where he planned to get a second opinion on his case.
Through friends and a quick online search, they discovered the HCG Cancer Centre in Bengaluru, India. With more research, they learned about the hospital’s modern treatment facilities, experts, and a comprehensive treatment approach and decided to receive treatment at HCG.
Read this patient story further to know how HCG helped Resham.
Traveling to Bengaluru to Nepal was no small feat. Resham and his family needed exhaustive preparation, starting from securing a medical visa and gathering necessary documents to planning their stay in Bengaluru and preparing themselves for various formalities during their treatment at HCG.
The international patient care (IPC) team stepped in at this point and helped Resham and his family with every aspect of his treatment journey, be it sharing the visa invitation letter, providing suitable recommendations for accommodation, or even arranging doctor appointments.
Upon arrival at HCG, Resham was welcomed by a compassionate team led by Dr. Prabhu Nesargikar, a leading GI oncology consultant and surgeon at HCG. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted, and it was discovered that the problem was different from what was initially diagnosed. The tumor was located higher up, eliminating the need for a permanent colostomy bag. This was a huge relief for Resham and his family.
With renewed hope, Resham began his treatment at HCG. The multidisciplinary team devised a personalized plan that included 4 chemotherapy cycles followed by surgery.
He finished his first chemotherapy cycle at HCG. He will be completing the next three chemotherapy cycles in Nepal. After completing all the cycles, he will visit HCG for his surgery.
The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy before surgery) helps shrink the tumor size to improve the effectiveness of surgery that is about to follow.
This rectal cancer story highlights how personalized treatment approaches, an experienced clinical team, and state-of-the-art facilities were brought together to create a seamless and comfortable treatment experience for Resham.
Since he has completed only a part of his comprehensive treatment plan, the expert team at HCG is providing prompt follow-up support. He will soon be visiting HCG for his surgery.
So far, Resham’s cancer treatment journey has been smooth and seamless. He and his family thank his treating doctor and the team at HCG for an empowering second opinion, which allows him to manage his condition without a colostomy bag. They are also grateful to the doctors here, as they addressed queries, concerns, and fears that Resham and his family had and helped him make health decisions with confidence.
Regular health checkups are crucial for early detection. A good number of cancers do not show any signs or symptoms in the early stages, and the only way to detect them and treat them in their early stages is through regular health checkups or screening. Regular health checkups can help detect cancer even before it becomes apparent and progresses to advanced stages.
Additionally, it is important to pay attention to persistent symptoms in any part of the body. Any symptom that lasts for more than two weeks could indicate a health condition that needs medical attention. Persistent symptoms are thoroughly evaluated to find out the underlying cause. If the initial tests indicate the presence of cancer, additional tests will be done to confirm, and an appropriate treatment will be recommended.
By breaking down barriers and providing comprehensive care, HCG helped Resham overcome his medical challenges and has put him on the path to recovery. Like Resham, thousands of cancer patients from across the world visit HCG for their cancer treatment, and every patient is treated with the highest quality cancer care that is personalized, patient-focused, and holistic.
