In a pioneering operation that could not have been performed anywhere else in the UK, a 23-year-old man from Durham is making a remarkable recovery after undergoing a rare and complex surgery at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
Jean Paul Goule, a fit and healthy young man with no prior medical issues, first noticed a relentless cough, fatigue, nausea, and breathlessness symptoms last year. A CT scan revealed a huge 22cm tumour occupying his left chest cavity and involving his heart. This was later identified as a rare and aggressive form of germ cell cancer, known as primary mediastinal non-seminoma.
Due to the tumour’s size and critical location — compressing his left lung, as well as covering his heart and major blood vessels — immediate chemotherapy was started, even before a biopsy could be performed.
Following initial treatment, Jean Paul was referred for surgery. The life-saving procedure brought together a highly skilled team of thoracic and cardiac surgeons, alongside expert anaesthetists and intensive care specialists, and involved removing Jean Paul’s entire left lung, the tumour and part of the diaphragm.
What makes Jean Paul’s case so extraordinary is not just the rarity of his diagnosis, but the scale and complexity of his treatment. Few centres in the UK have the capacity or expertise to perform such a combined cardiac and thoracic procedure.
Despite the scale of the operation, Jean Paul made a rapid recovery and was discharged just five days later.
The surgery was complex and required the skills of both Thoracic surgeon Mr Dharmendra Agrawal and Cardiac surgeon Prof Stephen Clark.
Prof Clark said “It was a huge operation — one of the rarest and most difficult that we have done. Bringing experienced cardiac and thoracic surgeons together made this possible alongside the expertise of our anaesthetic colleagues and theatre nursing staff.
“The fact that Jean Paul recovered so quickly is a testament to his determination and the coordinated efforts of the entire team through a period of complex planning and making decisions during the surgery to work out how we could remove this cancer. The success of this procedure showcases the power of multidisciplinary collaboration in Newcastle and provides hope for young adults facing rare and aggressive cancers in the chest.”
“Since his discharge, Jean Paul has continued to recover well. He received two additional cycles of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in early 2025. Now, just months after surgery, he reports no breathlessness, no pain, and is slowly regaining his active lifestyle.”
Mr Dharmendra Agrawal, consultant thoracic surgeon, added: “I am very pleased with the outcome of this complex and rare procedure, which would not have been possible without proper planning and close collaboration of the entire team.”
Reflecting on his journey, Jean Paul shared, “Going through surgery and recovery was the toughest physical and mental challenge of my life. At first, I couldn’t stand, walk, or even talk properly. But each day I pushed myself — walking laps around the garden, walking the dog, building myself back up. I believe everything happens for a reason. This experience has completely changed my outlook on life.”
He also praised the care he received at the Freeman Hospital “Everyone — from the surgeons and nurses to the receptionists — treated me with so much compassion and professionalism. I always felt informed, supported, and safe.”
