A woman has revealed the bizarre symptoms she experienced that turned out to be a sign of rare cancer – with doctors initially telling her it was “likely to be nothing”.
Rebecca Dennis, 22, from London, knew something wasn’t right after finding a lump in her neck in April this year.
After consulting her dentist about the mass, he referred her to London Kings College Hospital to have it checked.
Rebecca was seen by the hospital in May 2022, however, she had already begun experiencing other symptoms – including feeling tired and having itchy skin.
“The haematologist at Kings College Hospital I saw said it was likely to be nothing, and 98% of the patients she saw that had the same symptoms as me turned out to be just fine,” Rebecca, an apprentice policy analyst, told NeedToKnow online.
The consultant overseeing her ultrasound was more concerned and took a biopsy of Rebecca’s lump. The results came back as “slightly suspicious”.
In order to rule out anything serious, they conducted a second biopsy.
However, a week later on 15 June, Rebecca’s results revealed she had cancer.
She was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare T-cell type of lymphoma cancer.
Rebecca said: “When I first heard the words ‘it is cancer’ everything just went quiet to me.
“The doctor carried on talking to explain the type of lymphoma I had, but I couldn’t really hear what she was saying, I was so in shock.
“Once I could, I just asked her if it was curable, and once she said yes, I knew it meant I was going to have to have chemo.”
Since her diagnosis, Rebecca was told she would have to undergo six rounds of chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital.
Rebecca is currently on her first cycle of chemo which started on 21 July, and says the treatment has left her feeling “very weak and nauseous”.
She said: “I don’t want to lose my hair and look ill, I don’t want my loved ones or strangers to look at me and feel pity.
“I am trying to come to terms with the fact that my hair is going to start falling very soon, and what that will mean for me.
“It has been hard on my parents – I don’t think anyone ever expects to have to support your child through cancer treatment.
“They have both been amazing though, helping me with everything I need, my mum has basically become my carer.
“My boyfriend, Michael and his family have been incredibly supportive too, offering me anything I need to get help through this.
“It’s especially important for me to be able to lean on him as he’s someone I can talk to about anything, any time of the day or night.”
As the cancer was caught early, Rebecca was also able to undergo surgery to preserve her eggs, as the type of chemo she is having is likely to cause infertility.
Despite finding the diagnosis difficult to get her head around, Rebecca says she is grateful for all the support she has been receiving.
She said: “Emotionally it’s been really hard to get my head around the fact that I’m 22 and I have cancer.
“I find myself thinking how it isn’t fair, and asking what I have done to deserve this. But really I think that I have to be grateful for the small things.
“I am grateful that it’s been caught so early, that I have an amazing support system around me and that I am getting treated at a hospital like the Royal Marsden.
“I have always struggled with my mental health, and this has obviously been a massive blow to me. But I find that talking about things and being honest is so powerful.”
Rebecca is now sharing her diagnosis to raise awareness about checking lumps.
She said: “I want to tell young people how important it is to check your bodies.
“I know it can be easy to put things off and just see if they go away.
“Sometimes doctors can make you feel like you’re overreacting, and tell you to wait and see.
“But at the end of the day you know your body, you are the one who has to live in it every day.
“If something doesn’t feel right, push for tests and answers. It is your health on the line, not theirs.”
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