Health
Rare spinal cancer tumor removed through patient’s eye at university hospital
A young Maryland woman is “relieved and recovering” after doctors performed a novel surgery to remove her potentially deadly cancerous tumors.
A surgical team at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) extracted the tumors, which had wrapped around the spinal cord, through the patient’s eye socket.
This was the first time surgeons removed a spinal tumor using a “transorbital” approach, according to a UMMC press release.
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Karla Flores was just 19 when she was diagnosed with a chordoma, which is a developmental bone tumor, in her spine.
At 18, Flores started experiencing double vision, ultimately leading to her diagnosis months later.
Karla Flores, taken in March 2025. Her face is absolutely scarless after all her surgeries. (Karla Flores)
Chordomas are very rare, with only about 300 cases occurring in the U.S. each year.
“The tumor was wrapped around the patient’s spine and spinal cord and had invaded the vertebrae in her neck, just below the base of the skull,” according to Mohamed Labib, M.D., neurosurgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center and assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
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“The primary risks were injuring the brainstem, spinal cord or major blood vessels with the drill or the fine instruments we used — any of these injuries could have resulted in paralysis or even death,” Labib told Fox News Digital.
“But without surgery, the chordoma could have continued to grow and put intense pressure on the spinal cord. This, too, would have paralyzed her arms and legs and eventually killed her. So, you can see how the stakes were very high with this procedure.”
From left to right, Dr. Kalpesh Vakharia, Dr. Mohamed Labib and Dr. Andrea Hebert of the University of Maryland Medical Center. (University of Maryland Medical Center)
The surgeons created a “huge surgical corridor” through the eye socket that enabled them to get in front of the spinal cord.
“It was a straight shot,” Labib said.
“By going through the bottom of the eye socket, we were able to remove a tumor that otherwise would have been very difficult and very risky to address.”
“Learning about the spinal and brain tumors was terrifying, but I am so grateful the doctors were able to remove them.”
During the procedure, Labib worked with a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Kalpesh T. Vakharia, M.D., who “carefully cut through the conjunctiva, the transparent membrane protecting the eye, inside the lower eyelid without disturbing the eye.”
To create the pathway to the spine, Vakharia removed the bottom of Flores’ eye socket and a portion of her cheekbone, the release stated.
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“We wanted to develop a surgical plan where there would be no external scars and it would be impossible to tell that the patient even had surgery,” said Vakharia.
After Labib removed the tumor, Vakharia rebuilt the bottom of the eye socket using a titanium plate and rebuilt the cheek with bone from the patient’s hip, the release detailed.
This is an illustration of the patient’s two spinal tumors. (University of Maryland Medical Center)
“It was amazing to have had the opportunity to be part of surgery that had never been done before,” Vakharia added.
This approach also prevented any damage to the eustachian tube, major blood vessels such as the jugular vein and internal carotid artery, and nerves that control swallowing and speech, Labib noted.
Prior to Flores’ surgery, Labib had the chance to practice the transorbital procedure on cadavers “many, many times.”
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“The fact that people are willing to donate their bodies to science enabled us to do this and saved the life of this young woman,” he said.
Flores also had a large tumor around her brain stem, which was removed through two separate procedures via her skull and nose, the release stated.
An illustration of the transorbital path to the patient’s tumors. (Tina Wang/University of Maryland Medical Center)
The spinal tumors could have been life-threatening if they had grown to the point where they caused significant brain stem compression, according to Andrea M. Hebert, MD, a UMCC head and neck surgeon who performed the endonasal procedure and took part in the transorbital surgery.
“Many of these tumors recur, and that’s why we favor a multidisciplinary approach to treatment,” said Hebert in the release.
Flores has also undergone radiation therapy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.
“Karla is doing really well — she’s recovered from surgery and radiation and is ready to get back to work and school,” Labib shared with Fox News Digital.
“She’s an incredibly brave young woman who has faced more than most her age. I expect that same strength of spirit will carry her into a promising future.”
“Learning about the spinal and brain tumors was terrifying, but I am so grateful the doctors were able to remove them.”
Flores does have some nerve damage due to the tumor’s proximity to the brain stem, which has caused some issues with movement of her left eye.
“Learning about the spinal and brain tumors was terrifying, but I am so grateful the doctors were able to remove them,” said Flores, who plans to go to school to become a manicurist.
Karla Flores is pictured on the left, plus the team of doctors that handled the procedure. (Karla Flores; University of Maryland Medical Center)
“I’m slowly recovering and with any problem I have, they help me,” she continued.
“I keep reminding myself to take one day at a time and know that each step is an accomplishment.”
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Flores now plans to go to school to become a manicurist.
Looking ahead, UMMC’s team plans to demonstrate the transorbital procedure this fall to neurosurgeons from around the world, at their annual Skull Base surgery course.
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“When you have such a broadened corridor to reach these tumors, you can completely remove them, which greatly reduces recurrence of the cancer,” Labib told Fox News Digital.
“We also have other patients who will be receiving similar surgeries in the near future.”
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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