Man has swollen face from mouth cancer

A Pakistani man’s face has swelled to double its usual size and he is battling deadly mouth cancer as local doctors claim a quack dentist is to blame. 

Muhammad Farooq, 21, from Landhi, Karachi in the Sindh province of Pakistan, had a tooth removed by a fake doctor after he developed toothache.

His mouth began to swell six months after the surgery because of mouth cancer, and local experts believe he caught an infection following his surgery that led to it.

However, British doctors are sceptical and claim his toothache was most likely a result of his cancer. They also warned it was probably caused by his smoking habit – a known risk factor that is listed by the NHS. 

Doctors have told Mr Farooq that his chances of survival are extremely low – even if he undergoes chemotherapy. He has been spending his final days lying on a bed in his house, unable to move.

‘My son is battling for his life today,’ his mother, Razia Noor, told local reporters. 

‘I appeal to the government and law enforcement agencies in Pakistan to start a drive against the fake doctors, so that people’s lives can be saved.’

Muhammad Farooq has his face swollen to the size of a head after getting his tooth removed

Doctors have now refused the treatment to farooq as the chances of survival are very low

Doctors have now refused the treatment to farooq as the chances of survival are very low

He is not able to talk or eat any solid food and is completely dependent on liquid diet

He is not able to talk or eat any solid food and is completely dependent on liquid diet

Mysterious swelling 

Mr Farooq had complained of severe toothache. A friend suggested he should have it removed by a doctor he was told charged less.

But eight months after the surgery, Mr Farooq’s face and jaw started to swell and he was told he had cancer.

Elder brother Muhammad Fahad Noor said: ‘Eight months ago, Farooq had pain in one of his teeth.

‘He visited a clinic along with a friend, where he was told by the dentist that his tooth needs to be removed for which he would be charged PKR2000 (£12.50).

‘His friend told him to get the tooth removed from a dentist who charges very less. He did not know if the doctor was a quack.

‘Farooq went to the dentist and got the tooth removed for less money.’

‘We can only give him a liquid diet’ 

‘Initially, we ignored the condition but when the swelling increased, we took him to a government-run hospital where doctors, after conducting several tests, diagnosed him with cancer.’

He added: ‘We were shocked. We can’t understand why he went to that fake dentist just to save a few hundreds rupees.

‘He is not able to talk or eat any solid food. We can only give him a liquid diet.’

When Mr Farooq’s family went to the clinic where he had his tooth removed, they found the clinic shut and the shop had turned into a saloon.

Farooq, a carpenter by profession, has been counting his final days lying on bed in his house

Farooq, a carpenter by profession, has been counting his final days lying on bed in his house

‘Survival chances are very poor’

His family claims that that they visited several state-run hospitals but doctors have refused to admit him, saying that his survival chances are very poor.

His brother said: ‘Doctors are saying that his survival chances are very less and that chemotherapy would be very painful.

‘In such a situation we don’t want to give pain to the patient when we know it won’t serve any purpose.

‘The doctors only suggested medicines to reduce his pain and control inflammation.’

Farooq had complained of severe toothache and his friend suggested a cheap doctor

Farooq had complained of severe toothache and his friend suggested a cheap doctor

Farooq's mother, Razia Noor (pictured) pleaded for law enforcement against 'fake' doctors

Farooq’s mother, Razia Noor (pictured) pleaded for law enforcement against ‘fake’ doctors

‘My son is battling for life’ 

Dr Noor Muhammad Soomro, chief clinical oncologist at Dr Ruth Pfau Hospital in Karachi, said: ‘The cancer might have happened because the patient consumes tobacco or his tooth has got infection when his tooth was removed by the fake dentist as such clinics use unhygienic equipment.’

There are hundreds of fake dentists operating from unhygienic, illegal clinics in Karachi. 

WHAT IS MOUTH CANCER?

Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer, is where a tumour develops in the lining of the mouth. 

It may be on the surface of the tongue, the insides of the cheeks, the roof of the mouth (palate), or the lips or gums.

Tumours can also develop in the glands that produce saliva, the tonsils at the back of the mouth, and the part of the throat connecting your mouth to your windpipe (pharynx). However, these are less common. 

Symptoms of mouth cancer include:

  • sore mouth ulcers that don’t heal within several weeks
  • unexplained, persistent lumps in the mouth that don’t go away
  • unexplained, persistent lumps in the neck that don’t go away
  • unexplained looseness of teeth, or sockets that don’t heal after extractions
  • unexplained, persistent numbness or an odd feeling on the lip or tongue
  • sometimes, white or red patches on the lining of the mouth or tongue – these can be early signs of cancer, so they should also be investigated
  • changes in speech, such as a lisp

See your GP or dentist if these symptoms don’t heal within three weeks, particularly if you drink or smoke heavily.

Source: NHS



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