UAE visa medical test saves Filipino expat in Dubai from 2.5kg tumour bigger than his heart

Dubai: Randy Necesito thought his yearly cough was just seasonal. A UAE resident for 15 years, the Filipino expat brushed off what seemed like a harmless respiratory irritation that visited him every year and lingered for about a month.

“I thought it was nothing serious, so I never really paid much attention to it,” the 43-year-old father-of-two told Gulf News.

But a routine visa medical examination in 2024 revealed a shocking truth to the Guest Relations Assistant with a property management company in Dubai: a massive tumour was growing silently in his chest.

“I couldn't understand how a mass that big could grow without me noticing any severe symptoms,” said Randy, the youngest in a family of six from Bulacan, Philippines.

Chance discovery

The discovery came purely by chance. After his medical fitness test for residency visa at Al Muhaisnah Medical Fitness Centre under Dubai Health, an X-ray flagged the abnormality. Randy was called for a follow-up.

“At first, I worried it might affect my visa,” Randy recalled.

“However, the doctor explained that it was not a visa issue, but that a mass was seen on my X-ray and they were obligated to inform me,” he said, thanking the doctor and team for their commitment.

Further investigations at Aster Hospital, Al Qusais, revealed the gravity of the situation.

The tumour measuring 15x11x11cm was larger than the average human heart. The mediastinal tumour, a growth in the central area of the chest between the lungs, had compressed his right lung significantly, causing mild breathing difficulties.

High-risk surgery

CT scans and biopsy results proved inconclusive, leaving doctors with a critical decision. Dr Afsal Muhamed, Specialist Surgical Oncology, explained the urgency: "The tumour was larger than the normal heart volume (12 × 8.5 × 6 cm), highlighting the severity of the condition and the urgency of treatment."

Dr Afsal recommended immediate surgery. The mass could grow further and affect vital organs including Randy’s heart and lungs. But the procedure would be high risk.

“It was frightening especially when I was told that the surgery would be high risk…There were moments of fear and doubt, especially before the surgery. It was overwhelming and worrying, but I trusted the doctors,” Randy said.

For the surgery, Dr Sandeep Srivastava, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgery, was called in for support. "We did a double approach of having both right postero lateral side and central sternotomy incision made for removing tumour," he explained.

Upon removal, the tumour weighed 2.45kg, roughly the weight of a newborn baby. The tumour was identified as a benign type B1 thymoma, which could spread to surrounding structures, making them a type of cancer requiring surgical removal.

Emotional toll

For Randy, the physical pain was expected. The mental and emotional stress proved harder to bear.

"The harder part was the mental and emotional stress, especially not knowing the outcome, as I was informed the surgery was high risk," he said.

His wife, Rachelle Ann, stood by him through every step, from check-ups to surgery and recovery. "” would not have been strong enough without her," said Randy. Prayers from his family back home in the Philippines, where his children live, and visits from friends provided additional comfort.

“The medical team including the doctors who performed the surgery, Dr Muhammed Shafeeq Kalladi, Specialist Pulmonologist, and the nurses offered excellent care throughout…To my surprise, my recovery was much faster than I expected. Within days, I could walk, eat on my own, and do my normal routine,” said Randy.

Lifesaving lesson

The experience transformed his perspective on health. “I learned not to ignore unusual symptoms and not to self-diagnose. If I had not gone through the visa medical, life would have continued without knowing there was a mass growing inside my body, which could have been life-threatening,” he said, highlighting dangers of ignoring symptoms and the power of screening and early detection.

His message on World Cancer Day annually observed on February 4 is that routine health checks can be lifesaving, even when you feel fine.

Now healthy and recovering well, Randy shared his story to raise awareness. “Being healthy again means having another chance to continue working, support my family, and live life fully and with gratitude. I have learned not to disregard my health and to be more mindful of life. Anything can happen, so it is important to make the most of every day,” he added.