NESLI Meir was horrified when she discovered her tummy pain was coming from a ‘monster tumour’ growing teeth and organs.
The 17-year-old was on holiday in Guatemala in January when she felt a sharp pain in her lower right abdomen.
Nesli Meir started to get tummy aches while on holiday[/caption]
Doctors discovered her pain was actually coming from a ‘monster tumour’[/caption]
After two days of agony, she went to hospital, where a CT scan revealed a benign teratoma – a so-called ‘monster tumour’ – roughly the size of a tennis ball.
Shockingly, the mass had grown a tooth.
A later ultrasound in San Diego, California – also where Nesli lives – suggested it may even have an eyeball.
A second, smaller tumour was also discovered, and Nesli has light-heartedly named them Terry and Tommy, posting TikTok videos to ‘make light’ of the situation.
“The CT scan showed I had a teratoma and it was really scary because of how big it is,” Nesli said.
“The lady that did the ultrasound said there is a spot that could be an eyeball because it has liquid in it, so we’re waiting until the surgery to find out.”
Despite her humour, Nesli fears she may lose her right ovary as the larger 7cm-wide tumour has left little healthy tissue.
“The pain is really bad and I try to tune it out, but it’s still lingering,” she admitted.
“They said I might have to get the whole ovary removed. I’m afraid of surgery so I’m not looking forward to it.”
She was told the tumours formed due to calcification, where excess calcium causes tissue to harden – leading to the bizarre development of teeth.
Her TikTok documenting the ordeal has gone viral, racking up more than 18 million views and 13,000 comments, with users joking about her unusual diagnosis.
One quipped: “Wait, if you grow an eyeball can you see out of it like a third eye?” Another joked: “New fear unlocked.”
Nesli’s mum, Rachel Silber, 55, admitted the whole thing is surreal.
“It’s really strange,” she said. “I joke with her and say she internalised her birthday cake.”
“I’m freaked out because it’s like an alien baby without it being a baby or an alien. I don’t know how else to describe it.”
Nesli is now waiting for surgery to determine exactly what’s inside the tumours but is trying to stay positive.
Nesli’s teratoma ‘monster tumour’ which has grown a tooth[/caption]
Rachel Silber, 55, Nesli Meir, 17[/caption]
“Someone made fan art of the tumours and I will put it up as a poster in my room,” she laughed.
“The whole thing is a crazy ride.”
She urged others to take unusual pains seriously.
“If anything hurts in that area and won’t go away for more than a day, I would definitely tell people to get it checked.”
How serious are teratoma tumours?
A teratoma is a rare type of germ cell tumour that can contain teeth as well as more complete body parts.
They start in your reproductive cells, like the eggs and sperm.
This is why they can turn into many different types of tissue, like hair, muscle, liver, brain and even eyes.
Most teratomas are benign, meaning they are noncancerous.
However, it’s still important to have them removed.
If not removed, they can rupture and cause infection.
In some cases, they can turn malignant (cancerous).
Malignant teratomas require chemotherapy to get rid of.
In most cases, these tumours don’t spread like aggressive cancers.
As a result, most teratomas — even cancerous ones — have excellent survival rates with early diagnosis and treatment.
What are the symptoms?
People with teratomas may not show any symptoms at first.
Once symptoms develop, they can vary significantly depending on the tumour’s location.
General teratoma symptoms may include:
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Slightly elevated levels of the hormone BhCG (beta-human chorionic gonadotropin)
- Slightly elevated levels of tumour marker AFP (alpha-fetoprotein)
But you may also develop specific additional symptoms based on the location of the teratoma tumour.
Source: Cleveland Clinic
