Brooke Zepp The organ transplant specialist had to remove Zepp’s stomach, pancreas, spleen, liver and small and large intestines in order to reach the cancerous tumor. The organs were chilled and preserved outsideZepp’s body during a painstaking 15-hour operation.

New York - Last May Brooke Zepp was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma ,a rare cancerous tumor deep inside her abdomen that had wrapped itself around her aorta and other arteries. Doctors gave her only a few months to live.

Doctors were unable to operate because the location of the cancerous tumor was so deep that they would not be able to get to it to remove it without damaging organs.

She also tried chemotherapy, as well as radiation, which were unsuccessful.

The salvation came from the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, where surgeon at The Transplant Institute performed what’s believed to be the first operation of its kind.

The organ transplant specialist had to remove Zepp’s stomach, pancreas, spleen, liver and small and large intestines in order to reach the cancerous tumor. The organs were chilled and preserved outsideZepp’s body during a painstaking 15-hour operation.

Ms. Zepp, a real estate agent from Pompano Beach, shook her head when she saw her organs.

“I’m glad I had a good anesthesiologist,” she said. (Actually, according to her doctors , there were two.)

Dr. Kato said the surgery was possible only because of the hospital’s experience with transplants.

Dr. Reardon, an expert in cancer surgery, said the procedure was astounding.

“It’s a heck of a big operation,” Dr. Reardon said. “Putting that much back in would be a real surgical tour de force.”