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Piles Diagnosis Hides Deadly Rectal Cancer
14 Mar
Summary
- Jane Locke initially mistook rectal cancer symptoms for common piles.
- A consultant diagnosed rectal cancer during a planned piles operation.
- Locke required chemotherapy and radiotherapy after her diagnosis.
Jane Locke, a 66-year-old from New Milton, Hampshire, initially suspected she had piles in January 2021. Experiencing typical symptoms like bleeding and noticing a lump, her condition persisted. By July, she consulted her GP, who noted a lump. A subsequent appointment with a consultant in September 2021 at Royal Bournemouth Hospital led to a swift diagnosis.
During a procedure, the consultant identified the condition as rectal cancer, a revelation that surprised her husband but not Jane. Medical staff informed her about potential stoma bag requirements and the stages of rectal cancer. Biopsies and scans confirmed stage one rectal cancer, eliminating the need for a stoma bag but requiring extensive treatment.
Locke began chemotherapy and radiotherapy in November 2021 at Poole Hospital, with daily treatments for six weeks. She experienced a severe allergic reaction to chemotherapy tablets, causing significant inflammation and requiring close monitoring. After nine days in hospital, her condition stabilized without surgery. She completed radiotherapy by December 23, 2021, enduring painful skin burns. In August 2022, Locke received the news that she was cancer-free.
