Leandro de Souza, an influencer recognized as the 'most tattooed man in Brazil,' began his treatment for an 'aggressive malignant bladder cancer' on Monday morning, the 26th. The therapeutic plan includes four to five cycles of chemotherapy, in addition to a new surgery to remove the bladder and prostate.
During the first session, Leandro informed that he will receive more medication next week, following a schedule that will repeat until the end of the first cycle. When leaving the treatment, he expressed confidence, stating: 'I am feeling very well, thank God.'
Previously, in a conversation with g1, he mentioned that despite being aware of possible future limitations, he prefers to be alive, emphasizing that the chance of cure in these cases, with the removal of the bladder, reaches 98%.
Leandro had previously undergone surgery in September to excise a bladder tumor, provided that tests did not indicate the spread of cancer to other organs. According to him, the biopsy revealed that the disease affected the bladder muscle, which requires the subsequent surgical procedure.
The bladder reconstruction surgery, which is expected to last about six hours, is scheduled to take place between April and May 2027. The procedure aims to reconstruct the organ using a portion of the intestine, after which the influencer will need to resume chemotherapy sessions.
Diagnosis after tumor removal
The detection of the tumor occurred shortly before the seventh facial tattoo removal session, on August 11th. It was the biomedical technician Giancarlo Pincelli who identified the tumor in the bladder during screening, leading to the postponement of the procedure. Tattoo removal sessions are held at a clinic located in Franco da Rocha, São Paulo.
Leandro commented that the diagnosis was quick, occurring in only one month between the identification by Dr. Giancarlo Pincelli in Franco da Rocha and the surgery. At that time, he reported that the tumor measured approximately 6 by 5 centimeters. More recently, when discussing the removal, he stated that the mass already presented dimensions of about 7 by 8 centimeters and weighed approximately 61 grams, occupying more than a third of the bladder.
Biomedical technician Giancarlo Pincelli dismissed any link between the tattoo removal and the emergence of the tumor, declaring that the problem had existed for a long time.
Health problems caused him to interrupt studies
In June, Leandro was diagnosed with kidney failure. He had moved to Petrolina, Pernambuco, at the beginning of this year after obtaining a scholarship at the Betânia Evangelical Seminary (SEB) to study theology, with a planned stay of four years at the institution. However, due to health issues, he returned to Rio Grande do Sul after completing one semester of studies.