Chilli not cancer: China man with cough for 2 years makes relieving discovery

A pre-surgery examination verified a mass-related growth in Xu's right lung leading to fears of pneumonia, a malignant tumour or lung cancer.

A man from China's Zhejiang province, who had been coughing for over 2 years fearing that he might have lung cancer, heaved a sigh of relief upon knowing that the reason behind all this was just chilli pepper.

Xu (45) had choked on a chilli pepper during a hotpot meal and had been taking medication for his continuous coughing but didn't experience any improvement in his health, South China Morning Post reported.

In June 2024, seeking medical help he went to the Thoracic Surgery Department at the Zhejiang Hospital, where a lung scan showed a 1 cm mass stuck in his lung.

Later on, a pre-surgery examination verified a mass-related growth in his right lung leading to fears of pneumonia, a malignant tumour or lung cancer.

On July 3, Xu had a surgery scheduled before which the thoracic surgeon told him that the purpose of the surgery was to procure a sample of his lung tissue to examine the nature of the growing mass.

During the surgery, doctors in the operating room were surprised to find a tip of a chilli pepper in Xu's lungs.

Xu was reminded of the incident two years back when he had choked and coughed badly while having a hotpot meal.

Director of the Thoracic Surgery Department at Zhejiang Hospital, Zhu Xinhai said that Xu might have inhaled the chilli pepper during his meal, as per the publication.

A large lymph grew in his right lung due to the pepper tip and its detection was difficult as it was 'hidden' under a lung tissue, the medical professional noted.

As the lymph was hidden, its detection was not possible using normal medical examination methods, SCMP reported.

Meanwhile, the director of the hospital's Respiratory Medicine Department, said that doctors there often happen to find foreign objects in patients' bodies like animal bones, dentures and even earrings, as per the publication.