85-year-old woman becomes oldest woman in India to undergo successful ovarian cancer surgery

An 85-year-old woman has fully recovered after undergoing complex surgery ovarian cancer at Jaslok Hospital and Research Center. The patient, Mrs. Savitri Agarwal, arrived at the hospital with her grandson, Dr. Vishnu Agarwal. After all the tests and CT scans, she was diagnosed with an ovarian mass. Due to her advanced age, the patient’s family decided to abandon surgery, however, her health began to deteriorate rapidly. After severe vomiting, abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction due to a growing tumour, Ms Savitri was admitted to Jaslok hospital. Doctors said the condition was critical as a CT scan revealed that the ovarian mass had blocked the intestine due to which she could not pass stool and everything came out through vomit.

His abdomen was severely swollen not only from the mass but also from the intestinal obstruction. Dr. Vishnu Agarwal, along with Dr. Vivek Shetty and a team of doctors took the decision to operate despite the risks and age factors. Cytoreductive surgery involved removing the large ovarian mass, which was firmly attached to surrounding organs, requiring removal of part of her colon and spleen.

The surgery lasted seven hours and was successful. The patient remained under the post-operative care of Dr Shruti Tandon, intensivist at Jaslok Hospital. Dr Vishnu Agarwal, Consultant Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery at Jaslok Hospital, said: “Age should never be a barrier to life-saving treatment. Although Mrs Savitri’s case had risks and challenges, this successful surgery gave another chance to live.

Mrs. Savitri was shifted from the ICU to the ward within two days. She soon started walking the next day and was discharged a week after surgery.

Dr. Vishnu Agarwal further shared that age should never be a barrier. “While Ms. Savitri’s case had significant challenges, proper treatment gave her the opportunity to fully heal and recover,” he said.

Mrs. Savitri shares that she was initially nervous when she found out about her diagnosis. However, she thanked Dr. Agarwal and his entire team for making her feel confident about the process and giving her a second chance at life. “Now I can enjoy life to the fullest with my loved ones. My message to others is this: never lose hope, regardless of your age.”

Dr Milind Khadke, Director of Medical Services, Jaslok Hospital, said, “Mrs. Savitri Agarwal’s successful recovery, despite the age factor, gave her an opportunity to improve her quality of life. We believe that age should not be a limiting factor in continuing with treatment, especially when there is the possibility of improving quality of life.”