Yuvraj has been diagnosed with extragonadal seminoma, a rare tumour in the mediastinum, the space between the two lungs and above the heart that Dr Nikesh Rohtagi, oncologist with Max Health Care Saket, who is heading the Indian team of doctors looking into his case, claim is curable.
"He has a condition called extragonadal seminoma located between his two lungs rather than in his lungs. It is important to understand that this is not lung cancer nor has the tumor spread into lungs. Extragonadal seminoma is a rare tumor which forms less than one per cent of cancers in the whole," said the doctor.
"The cure rate is 95 per cent," he added. The 30-year-old Yuvraj Singh, who played a stellar role in India`s ODI World Cup triumph last year, has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy in the United States. The mediastinum is the middle section of the chest cavity. It contains all of the chest organs except the lungs.
Organs located in the mediastinum include the heart, the aorta, the thymus gland, the chest portion of the trachea, the esophagus, lymph nodes and important nerves. Citing reasons for the occureance of this rare cancer, he said, "This cancer is called seminoma as it is a cancer of the testis. But since in Yuvi`s case it has started from the chest, such a condition is called extragonadal seminoma. It is generally found in young men." Dr Rohtagi said that chemotherapy is the best treatment for such cancers.