<\/p>\n
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 \u2018man\u2019 suffering from testicular cancer.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, her 28-year-old sister, who underwent necessary tests following the revelation, was also diagnosed with \u2018Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome\u2019 — a condition in which a person is born genetically male, but has all physical traits of a woman.<\/p>\n
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 \u201ctrue identity\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom 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,\u201d Dr Dutta told PTI.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a very rare condition, and can be found one in every 22,000 people, he said.<\/p>\n
After test reports suggested that the person has a \u201cblind vagina\u201d, doctors decided to conduct Karyotyping test, which revealed that her chromosome complement was \u2018XY\u2019 and not \u2018XX\u2019, as found in a woman.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
Currently, she is undergoing chemotheraphy and her health condition is stable.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs 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,\u201d Dr Dutta stated.<\/p>\n
Asked about her reaction to the revelation, he said, \u201cThe 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.\u201d It was learnt, that the couple had tried for babies a number of times but failed.<\/p>\n
The patient\u2019s two maternal aunts were also diagnosed with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome in the past, the oncologist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably in the genes. We have come to know that two of her aunts from the maternal side were also suffering from similar condition,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n