Oregon teen, 15, recovering in the hospital after remove a nearly 25-POUND tumor from his stomach

An Oregon teenager is recovering in the hospital after doctors removed a nearly 25-pound tumor from his abdomen.

Kristion Kim, 15, from Tualatin, began rapidly losing weight over the summer – which led doctors to believe he had an eating disorder.

But, during one visit to his pediatrician last month, the doctor felt the high school freshman’s stomach and realized it was hard and bulging a bit.

After a few days of scans and tests, Kristion was diagnosed with a very rare cancer that arises in the fat cells, reported KOIN 6 News.

Kristion learned an extremely large tumor had been constricting his stomach and bowels to such an extent that he hadn’t been able to keep any food down. 

His pediatrician was convinced that he had an eating disorder. Pictured: Kristion after his diagnosis

His pediatrician was convinced that he had an eating disorder. Pictured: Kristion after his diagnosis

After his pediatrician felt that his stomach was hard, she recommended that his family schedule an ultrasound. Pictured: Kristion's tumor

After his pediatrician felt that his stomach was hard, she recommended that his family schedule an ultrasound. Pictured: Kristion’s tumor

Between the beginning of the summer and the end of January 2019, Kristion lost about 40 pounds.

‘I saw him bending down and I could see his ribs showing…from his back,’ his mother, Staci, told KOIN.

Staci took her son to countless appointments with his pediatrician. But the doctor believed that Kristion was purposely losing weight.

She was allegedly ready to refer the teenager to a psychiatrist, believing that he had an eating disorder. 

But Staci wasn’t convinced. Even though Kristion was losing weight, he had a stomach bulge.

‘One of the times I saw his stomach, his stomach was bulging out,’ she told KOIN.

‘That bulge is not normal. I said: “I want to see a [gastroenterologist]. I want more tests.” I said: “Something needs to be done now!”‘ 

The pediatrician felt Kristion’s stomach and, realizing that it was hard, she told the Kims to schedule an ultrasound.  

The very next day, Kristion had the ultrasound, which was quickly followed by an emergency CT scan that showed a mass was enveloping his entire stomach.

Oncologists were not sure what cancer the teen had, but told Staci that the tumor has shuffled around the organs in his abdomen.  

The ultrasound and an emergency CT scan showed that a mass was enveloping Kristion's entire stomach. Pictured: Kristion, left, and his mother Staci in the hospital

The ultrasound and an emergency CT scan showed that a mass was enveloping Kristion’s entire stomach. Pictured: Kristion, left, and his mother Staci in the hospital

A few days later, Kristion was diagnosed with liposarcoma, which is a rare tumor that begins in the fat cells. Pictured: Kristion before his surgery

About 2,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the US. Pictured: Kristion after his surgery

 A few days later, Kristion was diagnosed with liposarcoma, which is a rare tumor that begins in the fat cells. About 2,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the US. Pictured: Kristion before his surgery, left and after his surgery, right 

A few days later, Kristion was diagnosed with liposarcoma.

Liposarcoma is a rare tumor that begins in the fat cells, mostly in the limbs or the abdomen.

Symptoms can include abdominal pain and swelling, feeling full sooner after eating, constipation and bloody stool.  

Doctors are unsure of what causes liposarcoma, but know the tumor forms when fat cells have mutations that cause them to multiply quickly. 

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, about 2,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the US.

Treatment usually involves surgery first to remove the tumor. If it cannot completely be removed, then patients undergo radiation therapy to kill remaining cancer cells.   

On February 26, doctors removed a nearly 25-pound tumor from Kristion’s abdomen.

According to a GoFundMe page, doctors were shocked that the tumor wasn’t attached to any organs or blood vessels. 

Kristion told KOIN that when he first saw a picture of his tumor, he was ‘kind of disgusted’ and said it was similar to ‘having a monster in your body at all times.’

Because surgeons successfully removed the entire tumor, Staci says that her son won’t need radiation therapy or chemotherapy.  

On February 26, doctors successfully removed the entire tumor, meaning that Kristion won't need radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Pictured: Kristion in the hospital after surgery

On February 26, doctors successfully removed the entire tumor, meaning that Kristion won’t need radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Pictured: Kristion in the hospital after surgery 

The family hopes to take him home soon, but he's been unable to keep food down since the surgery. Pictured: Kristion's back when he was losing weight, before his diagnosis

The family hopes to take him home soon, but he’s been unable to keep food down since the surgery. Pictured: Kristion’s back when he was losing weight, before his diagnosis

However, he will need to undergo scans every three to four months for the next two years in case of recurrence.

The family hopes to take Kristion home soon, but the teenager has been suffering complication since the surgery. 

The tumor had been constricting his stomach and bowels to such an extent that he’s been struggling to keep food down and may need a feeding tube.

Staci says the experience has taught her how important it is to be an advocate if you feel like your concerns aren’t being taken seriously. 

‘If you feel like something is wrong, you need to speak up,’ she told KOIN. 

‘Speak up for yourself, speak up for your child, speak up for your mother, father, if you’re taking care of them. You need to be that person’s advocate.’ 

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of medical expenses.

So far, more than $3,700 has been raised out of a $5,000 goal.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk