Woman finds out she is a man during treatment at Kolkata hospital
Kolkata: For thirty years she led a normal life with no complications, until recently, when doctors, while treating her for abdominal pain, discovered that she was a 'man' suffering from testicular cancer.
Surprisingly, her 28-year-old sister, who underwent necessary tests following the revelation, was also diagnosed with 'Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome' -- a condition in which a person is born genetically male, but has all physical traits of a woman.
The 30-year-old Birbhum resident, married for the last nine years, had visited city-based Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Hospital with severe pain in lower abdomen a couple of months ago, following which clinical oncologist Dr Anupam Dutta and surgical oncologist Dr Soumen Das conducted her medical tests, and found out her "true identity".
"From her appearance, she is a woman. Starting from her voice, developed breasts, normal external genitalia, everything is that of a woman. However, uterus and ovaries have been absent since birth. She has also never experienced menstruation," Dr Dutta told PTI.
It's a very rare condition, and can be found one in every 22,000 people, he said.
After test reports suggested that the person has a "blind vagina", doctors decided to conduct Karyotyping test, which revealed that her chromosome complement was 'XY' and not 'XX', as found in a woman.
"We conducted clinical examinations, after she complained of abdominal pain, and found out she has testicles inside her body. A biopsy was conducted, following which she was diagnosed with testicular cancer, also called seminoma, Dr Dutta explained.
Currently, she is undergoing chemotheraphy and her health condition is stable.
"As her testicles remained undeveloped inside the body, there was no secretion of testosterone. Her female hormones, on the other hand, gave her the appearance of a woman," Dr Dutta stated.
Asked about her reaction to the revelation, he said, "The person has grown up to be a woman. She is married to man for almost a decade. Currently, we are counselling the patient and her husband, advising them to continue living life as they have been."
It was learnt, that the couple had tried for babies a number of times but failed. The patient's two maternal aunts were also diagnosed with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome in the past, the oncologist said.
"It's probably in the genes. We have come to know that two of her aunts from the maternal side were also suffering from similar condition," he added.
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Israeli strikes kill at least 17 in Gaza as ground troops enter Palestinian territory's north
Deir al-Balah (Gaza), Apr 4 (AP): Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in the Gaza Strip early Friday, as Israel sent more ground troops into the Palestinian territory to ramp up its offensive against Hamas.
At least 17 people, some from the same family, were killed after an airstrike hit the southern city of Khan Younis, according to hospital staff. Hours later, people were still searching through the rubble, looking for survivors.
The attack follows days of Israeli strikes, which have killed at least 100 people, as it intensifies operations, intended to pressure Hamas to release its hostages. On Friday, Israel said it had begun ground activity in northern Gaza, in order to expand its security zone.
Israel's military had issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza before expected ground operations. The UN humanitarian office said around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas last month.
In recent days, Israel's vowed to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor across it.
To pressure Hamas, Israel has imposed a monthlong blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle — a tactic that rights groups say is a war crime. Israel said earlier this week that enough food had entered Gaza during a six-week truce to sustain the territory's roughly 2 million Palestinians for a long time.
Hamas says it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout from Gaza. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory.
The predawn strike on Friday hit a three-story building. In addition to the dead, the attack wounded at least 16 people from the same family. Associated Press reporters saw bodies being carried out in blankets, while others searched for people trapped under the rubble and collected charred remains.
“We don't know how to collect them and how to bury them. We don't know whose remains these are. They were burned and dismembered,” said Ismail Al-Aqqad, whose brother died in the strike, as well as his brother's family.
On Thursday, more than 30 bodies, including women and children, were taken to hospitals in and around Khan Younis, according to hospital staff.
Israel said Friday that it had killed a top Hamas commander in a strike in Lebanon's coastal city of Sidon. Israel said that Hassan Farhat was a commander of Hamas' western area in Lebanon and that he was responsible for numerous attacks against Israel, including one in February 2024, which killed an Israeli soldier and injured others.
The war began when Hamas-led group attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements and other deals. Israel rescued eight living hostages and has recovered dozens of bodies.
More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as part of Israel's offensive, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The ministry says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 Hamas fighters, without providing evidence.
The war has left most of Gaza in ruins, and at its height displaced around 90% of the population.
