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A woman is recovering at home today after having an enormous 21.5kg cancer tumour removed from her abdomen.

Surgeons worked for ten hours to save Marcey DiCaro from the liposarcoma growth which had invaded her inferior vena cava - the body's largest vein.

The tumour had also enveloped her kidney requiring removal during surgery, along with her gallbladder.

She stopped breathing and her heart stopped during the marathon procedure.

Mrs DiCaro, of Tuscon, Arizona was diagnosed in 2012 but lacked the health insurance to pay for the operation.

The University of Arizona Medical Center only said she was able to get insurance that would cover pre-existing conditions this year because of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act healthcare reform.

Her hospital cancelled her surgery due in 2013 because her insurance company would only pay for a small portion of the full costs.

She said: "If the tumor had been let go, it would have killed me. I'm happy to be going on walks and getting back in the pool and getting out and enjoying life."