A 27-year-old man who visited a clinic hoping to obtain medical leave after suffering from a persistent fever was left devastated when doctors discovered a tumour suspected to be cancerous in his abdomen.
The shocking diagnosis came just a week after his mother died from stage four breast cancer early last year.
Muaz Yazid said his health problems began with recurring bouts of fever that lasted for more than a month. Despite seeking medical attention several times, his condition showed little improvement.
He said doctors initially suspected an ordinary fever during his first visit. A week later, further examinations were carried out, including Covid-19 and influenza tests, as well as other health screenings.
“All the test results, which came out a week later, were normal and nothing was detected, but I was still having a fever.
“During my final examination, the doctor performed an ultrasound scan and discovered a tumour suspected to be cancerous,” he told Sinar Harian on Saturday.
Muaz, who works as a marketing officer, said subsequent examinations at hospital confirmed that he had stage three kidney cancer, with a tumour measuring 26 centimetres in his abdominal area.
Before receiving the diagnosis, he had also experienced a blood infection, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, drastic weight loss and blood in his urine.
“When I found out that I had cancer, I was stunned and could not say anything after the doctor informed me,” he said.
He later contacted his adoptive mother to tell her about his condition. She tried to comfort him and encouraged him to remain positive.
Describing how his life has changed since the diagnosis, Muaz said he now falls ill more easily and takes a much longer time to recover whenever he develops a fever.
He also suffers from hypoglycaemia despite not having diabetes, declining nutritional levels, gastric problems, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and a persistent lack of appetite.
“For now, my treatment only involves taking medication, without chemotherapy.
“I also undergo medical examinations every two to three months to monitor my condition, alongside follow-up appointments every six months at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL),” he said.
