Latest news with #GartnavelHospital
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors told me 'young women have lumpy boobs'-in fact, it was aggressive cancer
A young teacher has told of her devastating cancer diagnosis after doctors initially dismissed her concerns, putting her 'lumpy boobs' down to her young age. Beth Ferguson, 30, from Glasgow, first noticed a small lump on her left breast while showering one evening in March 2022. But, given her age, fitness levels and family history, the maths teacher was not initially concerned. She visited her GP who assured her it was 'highly unlikely' that the lump was cancerous, because 'young people have lumpy boobs'. Lumps in the breasts can develop for a number of reasons and are often caused by something harmless like tissue growth or a build up of fluid, according to the NHS. Ms Ferguson's doctors at the local breast clinic thought this was the case, as the lump was smooth and mobile indicating a cyst or non-cancerous growth. 'At this point, I wasn't worried', she recalled. 'The consultant wasn't concerned as it was small and I was so young, but suggested I return if there were any changes. 'So life went on. 'I was training for and completed the Boston Marathon and got engaged to my partner in New York.' But in August 2023, just before the new school year started, she realised that the lump had grown. She went back to her GP and was referred to Gartnavel Hospital, Glasgow. Scans later revealed she had a triple negative tumour—a type of aggressive breast cancer which typically affects women under 40. 'Looking back I was a bit numb to be honest,' she said. 'You almost don't believe it because I felt so fit and healthy. I have no family history of breast cancer, so I thought it was unlikely to be anything serious. 'It was such a strange feeling to be so well but have such a terrible illness.' Just two months later, the young teacher started the first of 16 gruelling rounds of chemotherapy. Determined not to give in to her disease, Ms Ferguson stayed active between treatments, continuing her marathon training as well as teaching for the first few months. Just a month after finishing chemotherapy, Ms Ferguson underwent breast reconstruction surgery to make a new breast in March 2024. But then Ms Ferguson was given the devastating news that she would no longer be able to conceive naturally if she did not freeze her eggs before starting immunotherapy to shrink the cancer further. 'They shut my ovaries down in order to protect them—I went into menopause overnight.' But, after a lengthy battle Ms Ferguson was given the all clear in May 2024, which she has described as a 'strange' feeling. 'I don't think it's what I imagined,' she said. 'I have struggled with the after effects of how to move in with my life. 'Although it was great news, and everyone around me was happy it was the start of anxiety for me.' Ms Ferguson is now campaigning for better understanding of the disease, supporting new research funded by charities Breast Cancer Now and Secondary 1st to develop more targeted treatment for the rare but aggressive cancer. Researchers led by Professor Seth Coffelt, from the University of Glasgow, have been awarded almost £400,000 to fund research into a type of immunotherapy that can kill these specific cancer cells and stop them from spreading. Ms Ferguson said: 'I appreciate that the research is being funded at the Beaston institute as it was the team in Glasgow which treated me and cared for me, with everything I've been through. 'It's so important that we have more research into triple negative breast cancer. the hope that the researchers will find other targeted therapies in time for people like me is what keeps me going every day.' Triple negative breast cancer affects around 15 per cent of women with the disease. Symptoms include a lump or thickening in the breast or armpit, change in the shape or feel of the breast, skin changes such as puckering dimpling or a rash, and fluid leaking from the nipple. In some cases women with triple negative breast cancer will have a fault in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes—dubbed the Angelina Jolie breast cancer gene after the actress underwent a preventative double mastectomy after testing positive in 2013. One in seven women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime—around 56,000 a year—making it the most common cancer in the UK. It comes as concerning new research has suggested breast cancer cases are on the rise in under-50s. Now, experts are campaigning for women as young as thirty to be screened for breast cancer on the NHS, bringing forward checks by twenty years.
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I'm battling aggressive cancer at just 30 after my GP told me common sign was ‘normal in young people'
A TEACHER told it was normal for "young people have lumpy boobs" was later diagnosed with aggressive cancer. Beth Ferguson, 30, was told it was "highly unlikely" she had the disease after she noticed a lump in her left breast. 11 Beth felt the small growth in October 2022 while in the shower. However, her GP wasn't concerned because the lump was smooth and mobile - which can mean it's a cyst or benign lump. They referred Beth to the local breast clinic anyway, but when she arrived, she was told it was "nothing to worry about" as "younger people have lumpy boobs". Ten months on from her GP visit, Beth noticed the lump was growing. She said: "It started off small, it gradually got bigger and never really went away. "I have no family history of breast cancer, so I thought it was unlikely to be anything serious." The teacher went back to her surgery, and was referred to Gartnavel Hospital, Glasgow. A few days after an ultrasound and biopsy, she was diagnosed with a triple negative tumour. After 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a breast reconstruction and immunotherapy she was given the all clear in May 2024. Beth, a physics and maths teacher, from Glasgow, said: "After noticing the lump, I went to my doctor, who said I was fine. Jessie J breaks down in tears in heartbreaking hospital video as she has surgery after breast cancer diagnosis "They referred me to the local breast clinic, and the consultant said it was a cyst and there was nothing to worry about. "They said I was young, and younger people have lumpy boobs. "After that, I wasn't worried; they said if anything changes, or it gets bigger, to come back." The breast clinic consultant said it was most likely to be a cyst, and nothing to worry about as "younger people have lumpy boobs". 11 11 Beth said: "At that point, I wasn't worried; it put my mind at ease. "The consultant wasn't concerned, as it was small and I was so young, but suggested I return if there were any changes. "Life went on - I was training for and completed the Boston Marathon and got engaged to my partner in New York." In August 2023, just before the new school year started, Beth went back to medics and was told she had a large, aggressive triple negative tumour. Beth said: "Looking back, I was a bit numb to be honest, you almost don't believe it because I felt so healthy and fit. "It was the healthiest I have ever been, it was such a strange feeling to be so well but have such a terrible illness." Beth decided to freeze her eggs as she was going to be put on "induced menopause" to protect her ovaries during treatment. In October 2023, Beth started chemotherapy - which ended in March 2024 - and immunotherapy was completed in November 2024. Beth said: "I largely coped well with the side effects and stayed very active between treatments. "I continued my marathon training, I went to the gym, and I was still working for the first few months. "One of the worst side effects was that I was put on induced menopause. "They shut down my ovaries to protect them - I went into menopause overnight." 11 'Struggle with aftereffects' In April 2024, Beth underwent reconstruction surgery on her left breast. She said getting the all clear was "a strange feeling". "I don't think it is what I imagined," she said. "I have struggled with the aftereffects of how to move on with my life. "Although it was great news, and everyone around me was happy - it was the start of anxiety for me." Beth is now supporting new research funded by Breast Cancer Now and Secondary1st, which is hoping to develop a more targeted treatment for people with triple negative breast cancer. What are the signs of breast cancer? BREAST cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. The majority of women who get it are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer. If it's treated early enough, breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous, but it's always best to have them checked by your doctor. You should also speak to your GP if you notice any of the following: a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood) a lump or swelling in either of your armpits dimpling on the skin of your breasts a rash on or around your nipple a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast Source: NHS Professor Seth Coffelt at the University of Glasgow has been awarded £399,670 to fund research that will help further understanding of a type of immune cell that can kill triple negative breast cancer cells and stop them spreading. Triple negative breast cancer is also more likely than most other breast cancers to return or spread within five years following diagnosis. Beth said: "I appreciate that the research is being funded at the Beatson Institute "It was the team in Glasgow which treated me and cared for me, with everything I have been through. "Everyone in the NHS and the Beatson was amazing - I received really great care there. "It's so important that we have more research into triple negative breast cancer, it's what keeps me going every day - the hope that researchers will find other targeted therapies in time for people like me." 11 11
