Fedez and the disease, the oncologist: “Foreseeable complication. Now it’s a matter of ruling out a recurrence of the tumor”

“Bleeding can also be part of late postoperative complications,” explains Giampaolo Tortora, director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome and professor of oncology at the Catholic University. In cases where it is not a problem related to the recurrence of the neoplasm, “the risk of bleeding due to an ulcer is likely since we are close to the sutured area with very thin tissue”.

Why does bleeding occur?

“The fact that Fedez now has these ulcers near the suture area could be one of the possible consequences to be expected when pieces of intestine are sewn together.” In fact, the operation he underwent also requires the removal of a piece of the duodenum, and in this particular case it also appears to be a small piece of intestine. It is clear that this is a very friable, thin material; Therefore, there is a possibility of a small ulcer developing. It can also occur in a so-called “functioning” neuroendocrine tumor: in this case, the neoplasm produces some substances that can also cause a small ulcer locally. But the tumor was radically removed at that time.”

How is Fedez? “New blood” for the rapper

Isn’t surgery curable?

“If a tumor is radically removed, there must no longer be any cells that produce these substances.” Therefore, the procedure is radical even if there is a so-called functioning tumor. Therefore, in the case of Fedez, the ulcers should not be related to the production of hormone-like substances, assuming that the original neoplasm was also functional in nature.”

So have the risks associated with cancer been eliminated?

“If there are no other problems and there are no relapses, yes.” In some cases, postoperative pharmacological treatment is carried out with substances that inhibit the somatostatin receptor. If the neuroendocrine neoplasm that has arisen in the pancreas is detected early and does not manifest itself in an aggressive form, it can be radically removed by surgical intervention. However, the surgery required is generally not minimal and conservative: Fedez has in fact undergone an important operation, a duodeno-cephalo-pancreatectomy, similar to that carried out for other types of tumors, such as pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and excellent by Massimo “It was carried out by Falconi, one of the best surgeons ever for this type of operation.”

How are ulcers treated?

“They are usually operated on endoscopically and cauterized from the inside. It is clear that when an ulcer forms in such thin tissue, the risk of bleeding is likely. It is difficult to say today whether the further bleeding is related to the ulcers that have already been cauterized or whether a new one has formed again after a short time. What is important is that there was no repetition. After the endoscopy, the wounds should heal. This process usually occurs quickly but is difficult to predict with certainty because it depends on local tissue reorganization. However, it is necessary to understand whether there are responsible causes, i.e. possible local vascular problems.”

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