Woman Battles Aggressive Oral Cancer After Delayed Diagnosis

In a heartbreaking turn of events, 45-year-old Emma Byron is now facing the devastating reality of incurable stage 4 head and neck cancer, a diagnosis that came after months of failed attempts to get a GP appointment for a persistent mouth ulcer.

Byron first noticed the sore on her tongue in May 2023, initially thinking it was related to a previous condition. However, when the ulcer failed to heal after a month, she repeatedly tried to book an appointment with her doctor, only to be repeatedly dismissed as a non-urgent case. By July, Byron was "crying in frustration" as she continued to ring the surgery, experiencing classic symptoms of mouth cancer, including an ulcer that wouldn't heal and worsening pain.

Finally, in late August, Byron was squeezed in for an appointment and given a biopsy, which confirmed her worst fears - the ulcer was cancerous. She underwent surgery to remove part of her tongue and jaw, as well as numerous lymph nodes, but serious complications led to a prolonged hospital stay. Just as she was recovering, Byron received the devastating news that the cancer had metastasized, leaving her with an incurable stage 4 diagnosis and a life expectancy of just 12-18 months.

Despite the grim prognosis, Byron remains determined to make the most of the time she has left, fundraising for cancer research and awareness. Her harrowing experience serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for early detection and diagnosis of head and neck cancers, which have seen a 47% rise in cases between 2013 and 2020.