A 'fit and healthy' doctor has spoken out of the "complete shock" she felt at being diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 38. Ruthra Coventry, a consultant anaesthetist from Aberdeen, is now urging people to be aware of the deadly tell-tale signs and symptoms to look out for.
The consultant was told of the "shock" diagnosis back in 2018. Recalling the moment she was informed on Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day, Dr Coventry said: "I was only 38 years old when I was diagnosed with lung cancer, which came as a complete shock despite being a doctor.
"I had been suffering from recurrent chest infections, which I just put down to having a toddler bringing home from nursery. I finally decided to get checked out after having an episode of such excruciating chest pain that I had to go to accident and emergency."
READ MORE: Top Covid symptoms to look out for as UK cases reach highest level since last summer
Every year, more than 90,000 people are diagnosed with either lung, brain, stomach, oesophageal and pancreatic cancer. However, according to a survey for the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT), by Sapio Research, only one per cent of Brits can identify all the symptoms of liver cancer correctly from a list given to them, the Mirror reports.
Symptoms of such cancers can vary. Symptoms of liver cancer can include a lack of appetite, fatigue and unintentional weight loss. Meanwhile, lung cancer can cause chest pain and coughing up blood.
Although Dr Coventry has since been "clear of any cancer" following her surgery four years ago, she hopes her experience will urge people to get any possible symptoms checked early. "Don't go by stereotypes of who you think lung cancer patients are - I was fit and healthy running around after my two-year-old", she said.
Neurosurgeon consultant of the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Paul Brennan, explained symptoms of some forms of the disease "can be difficult to spot". He added: "The symptoms of less survivable cancers such as brain tumours can be difficult to spot, or even non-existent until the later stages of the disease.
"Despite this, public awareness of the common signs is crucial if we're going to tackle the problem of late diagnosis. As well as this, we need more emphasis and investment in research for treatment and prevention of these cancers if we're going to increase survival chances."
The LSCT works to raise awareness of six less survivable forms of the disease - lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach cancers - which have an average five-year survival rate of just 16 per cent. Together, they make up nearly half of all common cancer deaths in the UK, the taskforce says.
READ NEXT:
- 24 Hours in A&E producers say more than 1,000 Nottingham patients agreed to be filmed
- 24 Hours in A&E nurse at Nottingham QMC recalls treating man with 'highest heart rate she'd ever seen'
- Good Morning Britain's Kate Garraway 'whacks' co-star Ben Shephard after sharing A&E drama
- Channel 4's 24 Hours in A&E: Man with one of highest heart rates ever seen to feature in episode 2
- DWP confirms PIP, DLA and ADP payment increase from April
