A Chinese woman's face and neck has swelled to several times larger than normal as she suffers from a rare form of tissue cancer.
The Mirror reports that the unnamed woman, believed to have been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, has seen her facial muscles bloat since an early age after the cancer formed in certain nerve tissues.
The woman has been living in isolation with her mother for several decades, according to the Mirror, and has had no money to treat the condition. Therefore her adrenal glands have gone unchecked, severely affecting her face.
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Volunteers from a non-governmental organisation visited the woman, but were baffled as to how she'd been surviving with neuroblastoma for such a long time.
Presumptions have been made about the woman's condition, though without a proper medical examination it's tough to determine the full extent. Studies show it could have been inherited from family members.
In a clip she revealed that she and her mother have received money from locals in their village to help them live, though the money they're given isn't enough to get treatment.
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It could get to the point where her condition is so severe that she'll have to seek treatment abroad.
Neuroblastoma is a rare type of cancer mostly found in babies and young children. It develops when specialised nerve cells (neuroblasts) are left behind from a baby's development while in their mother's womb.
The condition most usually occurs in one of the adrenal glands situated above the kidneys, or in the nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord in the neck, chest, tummy or pelvis.
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It reportedly affects around 100 children each year in the UK, usually affecting children under the age of five.
It has been known to spread to other vital organs such as the bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin.
Sadly, the cause of the illness is still unknown, though studies have found it can be hereditary, according to the Mirror.
Though there may be options for the woman to have treatment, most probably abroad, she hasn't yet said whether she'd undergo it, should she get the funding.
Featured Image Credit: AsiawireTopics: Cancer