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Where is Amy now? 'Take My Tumor' Dr Jason Cohen removes 2lb lump from patient suffering for 17 years

'Take My Tumor' patient Amy's lump had grown so big that she could no longer wear bathing suits, appropriate-sized clothes, or bras

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Even after all these years, Dr Jason Cohen remained confident that he could permanently remove Amy's tumor! In a recent episode of TLC's 'Take My Tumor', Dr Cohen fulfilled the wish of a Florida woman to wear any kind of clothes by excising a 2-pound lump off her back. 

When Amy returned to Florida after nine weeks, she was overjoyed with the outcome of the procedure. The biopsy revealed that the lump was not malignant.

"I'm just so happy that this tumor is finally gone after 17 years," the woman exclaimed. "Removing this tumor has been really impactful on my life. The emotional toll it was taking on me was pretty heavy. I just feel so much better than I thought I would. I knew I would be relieved, but I'm happier."

Amy expressed relief that her enormous tumor would no longer interfere with her clothing choices; she could now purchase properly-sized apparel and wear a standard bra. Excited about the prospect of swimming again after years of avoidance, she eagerly bought numerous halter tops and bathing suits to showcase her back, showing indifference toward her scar.

With the tumor gone, Amy's spouse can now embrace and express physical affection for his wife without fear of causing her discomfort. John remarked, "It's so great to have that physical contact with Amy."

She said, "The tumor was impacting my life a lot, but now that it’s gone, I realized how much it was impacting my life and how much better my life is now that it’s gone."

Who is Amy in 'Take My Tumor'?

Hoping that a surgeon could remove a "third boob" that had been developing on her back for nearly two decades, a Florida woman traveled across the country. Amy, 55, recalled that the bump on her back was roughly the size of a quarter when she first noticed it.

She went to her doctor immediately out of concern for her health, and he informed her to leave the growth alone as it was a benign lipoma or bundle of fatty tissue. But Amy claimed that in just four years, the tumor grew from the size of a quarter to a golf ball, then a softball, and eventually to the size of a watermelon. 

Over the years, Amy has faced physical and psychological struggles due to the impact of the growth on her life. Despite consulting with four different physicians, all of them declined to remove the tumor as insurance would not cover the procedure.

But in a last-ditch attempt, Amy made contact with Los Angeles surgical oncologist Dr Cohen, who consented to visit her and assist her in regaining her life. 

Four separate doctors informed Amy that her lipoma, which had been developing on her back for 17 years, would not be removed because the insurance company viewed the treatment as "cosmetic" and would not cover the costs. She feels "imprisoned" and ashamed of her own progress.

"I know anywhere I go, there are people behind me staring at it, looking at it, and wondering what it is and what is wrong with me," Amy said in the most recent episode of TLC's 'Take My Tumor'.

Amy's tumor has grown to such a size that she can no longer comfortably wear bathing suits, properly-sized clothing, or bras. She humorously refers to the bulge as her "third boob," and the only garments she can wear are sports bras that accommodate the lump without causing discomfort.

Amy revealed that the mass extends so far out from her back that it poses challenges for her to sit and drive, leading to persistent backaches. John, her spouse, said in the episode that he was apprehensive about hurting or upsetting his wife, which made him uncomfortable when he hugged, cuddled, or placed his arm around her. 

Amy used to love swimming and being in the water, but she had been too self-conscious about what people would think to wear a bathing suit for years.

Amy declared, "If the doctor clears me for the surgery and I get this mass removed, it’s going to be so different. I just really want to get rid of this and not have people staring at me. I want to swim. I want to get in the water, and [now] I don’t want to put a swimsuit on because it is really obvious that’s going to be the only thing people are looking at."

What happened to Amy in 'Take My Tumor'?

After Amy's family history of cancer, her husband drove about 2,500 miles to visit Dr Cohen in Los Angeles, who stated he could remove the lipoma and wanted to check the tumor for any indications of the illness.

The surgeon stated, "One of the great things about being able to care take of people like Amy, who have these masses that are causing so much both physical and mental distress, is that as a surgeon, we’re able to see it, take care of it, fix it and usually often the patient is better. And with Amy, once we remove it, she, I hope, is going to have a whole new lease on life."

The lump started "bulging" out of the incision as Dr Cohen started to cut apart the lipoma. He found that there was more bleeding than usual after a lipoma ectomy and that the tumor had more blood vessels than he had previously believed. 

Dr. Cohen was confident that he had successfully excised the entire lipoma, reducing the likelihood of its recurrence, despite the procedure taking longer—approximately five hours—and being more demanding than he had initially anticipated. The tumor weighed almost two pounds.

Who is 'Take My Tumor' Dr Jason Cohen?

The founder of The Surgery Group of Los Angeles, Dr Cohen also serves as co-director of the group's breast center. He is a world-renowned specialist in surgically treating the parathyroid and thyroid glands.

'Take My Tumor' airs on Wednesdays on TLC at 10 pm ET