Vanity Fair Royal Correspondent Katie Nicholl has spoken about how her life was saved by surgery after she was diagnosed with a rare type of liver cancer.
After having an MRI scan at the Royal Free Hospital, the royal author was informed that she had cancer of the liver, which required an operation to remove.
In an interview with GB News, she said: "It was a bit of a horror story. It wasn't the Valentines I'd wanted or expected. I got a call from the Royal Free Hospital.
"I’d been in for an MRI for my liver and I got a call saying that I had Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), and I had no idea what it was."
Katie Nicholl sat down with GB News to discuss her battle with liver cancer
GB News
When asked by host Eamonn Holmes if she was experiencing any symptoms before discovering her diagnosis, Nicholl revealed: "I just felt that I was possibly perimenopausal. I was getting these heart palpitations, I was getting a really bad sense of indigestion, but nothing that was making me overly concerned.
"But when a friend asked if I was okay, I burst into tears and said I just don't feel myself. She said go see your GP, and I did."
Joined by her surgeon Dora Pissanou, she revealed that more than 50 per cent of her liver had to be removed, and that the growth was "the size of her palm".
Pissanou explained: "The problem is how much you remove and how much you leave the patient with.
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Surgeon Dora Pissanou told GB News that Nicholl was 'frightened but determined'
GB News
"For a healthy individual, we can leave about 30 per cent of their liver behind and then it can regenerate. But this regeneration starts after six weeks, so the patient has to survive the first six weeks, even with a 30 per cent of liver."
Noting her quick recovery, Nicholl added: "My liver is at nearly 80 per cent of what it was. And just to put that into context, I was told my recovery would be a good four to six months. 10 weeks after surgery, I was presenting the Coronation for NBC."
Highlighting the severity of her cancer and how her outcome could have ended in the loss of her life, Nicholl told GB News: "I was very determined and I think Dora and I had a very special connection when we met. I said I'd like a second opinion, I’d like a biopsy.
"Dora said that's not an option, this will kill you, you have to get it out. 10 days later, I was on the operating table."
Nicholl claimed that the disease is a 'silent killer' and urged people to 'listen to your body'
GB News
Nicholl continued: "I knew it was going to be a fight for my life. And I have these two beautiful children. I was like, I'm going to be here to see them grow up. I mean, that was just non-negotiable.
"But Dora was very clear. She's like, we've got a real chance here, that's not always the case. This is a silent killer. It can be very, very hard to operate on. Dora is one of the few surgeons when people are told they have an inoperable tumour, more often than not, she is able to help. But it's something that's on the rise, and people need to be aware of it."
Sharing her message of optimism following her ordeal, Nicholl concluded: "The greatest message in all of this that I can share is if something doesn't feel right, please go and get it checked out. Don't just brush it off.
"If I just dismissed this as indigestion or perimenopause or a bit of stress after a busy year, I wouldn't be here today."
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