Back Pain's Deadly Secret: Blood Cancer Missed

Scott Nunn's journey began with back pain in early 2019, initially attributed to a past injury and treated with painkillers. However, this pain was a precursor to multiple myeloma, a deadly blood cancer. Diagnosed just before his 40th birthday, Nunn experienced shock, as he was unaware of this type of cancer, which has seen mortality rates stagnate for decades.

Blood cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death in the UK, with a dire one-in-three survival rate. Recent statistics show minimal improvement in survival rates for certain aggressive types over ten years. Dr. Rubina Ahmed of Blood Cancer UK notes that symptoms like fatigue and night sweats are often mistaken for other ailments, delaying diagnosis.

Nunn experienced extreme tiredness and lethargy for months before his diagnosis, alongside recurrent ear infections and a rash, which were dismissed by doctors. It wasn't until a routine blood test revealed failing kidneys that further investigations led to his multiple myeloma diagnosis. Myeloma is an incurable blood and bone marrow cancer, though manageable.

Following diagnosis, Nunn underwent chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. While achieving "complete response" (undetectable cancer), he acknowledges it doesn't mean a cure, as the cancer can return. He continues chemotherapy, experiencing side effects like vision changes and fatigue, and living with bone lesions that make walking difficult.

Nunn is now advocating for Blood Cancer UK's Trial Treat Beat campaign, aiming to raise £25 million for clinical trials to improve survival chances. He emphasizes the need for better GP and A&E awareness to connect symptoms with potential blood cancers, filling critical gaps in care.