A woman who suffered from symptoms for months has spoken of the horror of discovering she had stage 4 cancer and shared the signs she ignored.
Marlene was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma after months of experiencing unusual physical signs, she recently told viewers.
“I had been experiencing symptoms for over a year but wasn’t paying attention to them," she said. “The main one was weight loss, despite making no changes to my diet.
“I also had night sweats - I would wake up drenched in sweat for no apparent reason. But I thought my weight loss and night sweats were linked to losing my dad. I assumed it was all due to anxiety.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a rare type of cancer
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“The third symptom I had was severe itching. My skin was so itchy that I would scratch until I was practically bleeding. But I used creams, and they helped, so I didn’t think much of it.
“The last symptom, which led to my diagnosis, was a constant pressure in my chest. It turned out to be my lung.”
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a rare type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands spread throughout the body.
The itching commonly reported by those with the disease is thought to be caused by cytokines, chemicals released by the immune system.
Sweating, on the other hand, is believed to occur as a result of chemicals released by the body.
Rates of the disease are projected to rise in the UK, with around 2,100 diagnoses made each year.
Furthermore, Macmillan Cancer Support cautions that people of all ages can be affected by it.
“It is one of the most common cancers affecting people in their teens and early 20s,” states the health body.
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Hodgkin's lymphoma can affect people in their teens and early 20s
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While the causes of the condition remain largely unknown, certain factors may increase the risk of developing it, such as having a weakened immune system.
There is evidence that some people can lower their risk of cancer by consuming more fibre and addressing other modifiable risk factors.
How is Hodgkin Lymphoma diagnosed?
The only way to confirm a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma is by carrying out a biopsy, according to the NHS.
"This is a minor surgical procedure where a sample of affected lymph node tissue is removed and studied in a laboratory," it stated.
