The 7 signs of ‘very aggressive' cancer after rock star's cough led to shock diagnosis

Scottish Sun

7 hours ago

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ROCK star David Roach has been diagnosed with a "very aggressive" form of cancer after symptoms of a 'fever and a cough'.
The musician and his fiancée Jennifer say their world has been "shattered" by the news.
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Singer David Roach, who has been diagnosed with cancer, and drummer Patrick Muzingo of Junkyard perform onstage at the Cathouse Festival on August 15, 2015 in Irvine, California
Credit: Getty
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David's wife and bandmates are asking people to help pay for medical treatments on GoFundMe
Credit: instagram
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A photo accompanying a message on the Junkyard Instagram shows David in a gown while lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to oxygen
Credit: instagram
As part of a statement shared in an Instagram caption, Jennifer said: 'We're still struggling to process the news we received on Tuesday.
'After David's ongoing fever and cough led us to the ER, we got results that have completely shattered our world.
'It's devastating and life-altering, and we're trying to navigate through the emotions and uncertainty that come with it.'
A photo accompanying the message shows David in a gown while lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to oxygen.
The band has launched a GoFundMe while also confirming David is 'battling aggressive squamous cell carcinoma affecting his head, neck, and throat'.
This would suggest that David has head and neck cancer, of which squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type.
While coughing and fever are not specific symptoms to head and neck cancer, they are among the most common cancer signs.
Head and neck cancers can occur in more than 30 parts of head and neck, including the mouth, throat, nose, sinuses, ears and salivary glands.
They are often referred to as the type of cell they start in.
About nine out of 10 head and neck cancers start in squamous cells - cells that line the surfaces inside the head and neck, such as the mouth, nose and throat.
Common bacteria in the mouth can 'melt up to 99% of cancer cells' and could lead to new treatments
But many people might be more familiar with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin - one of the most common forms of skin cancer.
Dr Jonathan Kentley, an NHS dermatologist at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, told Sun Health: "The majority of SCCs occur in the skin and are usually caused by long-term sun exposure, or exposure to HPV in the genital region.
"However, SCC can also develop in other parts of that body that contain squamous cells such as the mouth and throat, lungs and cervix.
"In the mouth, throat, SCC is often caused by smoking or exposure to the HPV [human papillomavirus]."
The main risk factors for head and neck cancer are smoking and alcohol, especially when combined, Macmillan Cancer Support says.
HPV is a group of viruses affecting the skin that don't cause problems for most people but can develop genital warts or cancer - their link to cervical cancer is well documented.
But certain high-risk strains of HPV can also cause anal, penile, vulval and vaginal cancer, as well as some types of head and neck cancer.
Head and neck cancer is also much more common in men than in women.
In the UK, almost 13,000 cases are diagnosed each year, making it the 8th most common cancer, and there are 4,143 deaths.
Cancer Research UK says that since the early 1990s, head and neck cancer incidence rates have increased by more than a third (35 per cent).
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Watch out for these signs and speak to your doctor or dentist if you see them
Rates in females have increased by almost half (47 per cent), and rates in males have increased by almost a quarter (23 per cent).
A report by University of Sheffield scientists in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care in 2024 made the same warning, saying that the surge in these diseases was largely driven by an uptick in oropharyngeal cancer.
Figures show there were 3,834 new cases of oropharyngeal cancer in 2019, a 47 per cent increase from 2013.
"There has been an increase in the number of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers in the last two decades, particularly in males," the Sheffield researchers noted.
HPV is passed on through close skin-to-skin contact during sex, as well as vaginal, anal and oral sex, the NHS says.
Ali Khurram, a professor and honorary consultant pathologist at the University of Sheffield, said: "Although head and neck cancer is one of the most common cancers in England with a significantly worse survival compared to other cancers, its awareness among the public, health professionals and funding organisations is poor."
Symptoms to watch for
The symptoms depend on where the cancer started in the head or neck.
Dr Kentley says: "In non-skin SCC, symptoms can include pain, difficulty swallowing, a lump in the throat or bleeding when coughing. If you experience any of these symptoms it is important to see a doctor."
Macmillan Cancer Support advises you to speak to your dentist or GP if you have any of the following symptoms:
An ulcer anywhere in the mouth area, including your tongue, lasting for more than three weeks A red patch (erythroplakia) or red and white patch (erythroleukoplakia) anywhere inside the mouth A white patch on its own (leukoplakia) anywhere inside the mouth A lump in the neck that does not go away after two to three weeks A lump on the lip or anywhere inside the mouth that doesn't go away A sore tongue that is not getting better Throat pain, persistent hoarseness and difficulty swallowing that's not improving
Macmillan Cancer says certain symptoms will see you referred to a specialist within two weeks, such as a persistent ulcer.
Any of the symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer. But it's important to seek advice about any of them. Cancer is always more easily treatable if it's spotted early.
Skin cancer
A squamous cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that can occur in a number of parts of the body, including the skin.
Squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer is the second most common type of skin cancer in the UK.
SCC accounts for 23 per cent of all non-melanma skin cancers, which account for 90 per cent of all cancers.
Symptoms of his disease typically start on the skin, however - but can be mistaken for spots, age spots or scabs.
Dr Kentley said: "In the skin, early signs of SCC can be quite subtle such as a scaly bump or a spot that isn't healing.
"Left unchecked the lesions can grow causing pain and bleeding, and even spread to other parts of your body causing swelling in the lymph nodes (found in the neck, armpits and groin) or even the lung which can cause breathlessness or liver which can cause stomach pain.
"For skin SCC, around 95 per cent of cases can be cured with surgery to remove the lesion, however in five per cent of cases, SCC requires other treatments such as radiotherapy, immunotherapy or chemotherapy."