Yahoo News 'Doctors said my symptoms were just teenage problems - but it was cancer'
A student who had a lump on her neck for two years before a cancer diagnosis claims she was told by doctors her symptoms were 'teenage problems'. Georgia Kennedy was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer aged 19 after battling extreme tiredness, a cough and had noticed a lump on her neck.
Georgia, from Peterborough, Cambs, is now calling for young people to be aware of common cancer signs after being told hers were just 'teenage problems'. She underwent six cycles of chemotherapy and was given the all clear in May 2023.
The trampoline gymnast and coach, now 21, had struggled with tiredness since she was 15 and said she put her symptoms on the 'back burner'. She said: “I was a tired teenager compared to my friends.
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"I’d stopped all my sports because of it and cut down on activities, but when Covid hit I put the issue on the back burner. When I was diagnosed it made sense. I had tiredness since I was about 15. I never had an X-ray taken, I had ECGs, echoes, stress tests, sleep studies. I thought I had narcolepsy.
"I was told it was ‘teenage problems’ and that I'd get over it." In October 2022, Georgia developed a cough which led to her going to hospital and being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
She said: “I thought my cough was seasonal so ignored it for a few weeks, but I wasn’t improving so I made a GP appointment. They looked at my notes, saw that I had asthma when I was younger and told me to use inhalers for a few weeks.
“It was getting worse so a few weeks later I rang them again and they asked me how I’d like to proceed. I was only 19 and had no idea. I ended up having an X-ray a few days later. They said it looked abnormal but that it was nothing urgent and I’d have a CT after Christmas.”
Three days before Christmas, Georgia was in Peterborough City Hospital A&E struggling to breathe and had another chest x-ray. She said she had a tingly feeling in her face, chest pain and couldn't breathe properly.
Georgia added: “A nurse said it could be an infection, but it's most likely cancer. I hadn't even registered cancer as an option so I thought that can't be right.
"I remember having tunnel vision, I couldn’t really hear anyone, and it was like my senses were gone. I just sat there thinking this can’t be happening. When I developed the cough, I did have a lump on my neck that I didn’t notice.
"Now when I look back at photos, I can see the lump from maybe two years before I was diagnosed. But because it was so small and grew so gradually, I didn't ever say anything about it."
Teenage Cancer Trust research has found that just 17% of 13-24-year-olds know all five of the main warning signs of cancer in young people. Georgia said: “You hear to check for lumps and bumps in your breasts, but you're never told to check anywhere else like your neck or lymph nodes, so you wouldn’t.
"I'd also lost about 10 kilos from summer to that Christmas and again, didn’t notice. I feel like I’m partly to blame because I didn't notice a lot of these things and I think my mum feels a bit of guilt about that too.
"But you never think it’s going to be cancer and the symptoms can be over a longer period of time than you think.” Georgia was diagnosed with suspected Hodgin lymphoma and had six cycles of chemotherapy and was given the all clear in May 2023.
She went travelling following her remission and is now studying drama at Manchester University. Louise Soanes, Teenage Cancer Trust Chief Nurse, said: “It’s so important to know your own body to be able to spot any changes. Although cancer in young people is rare, it does happen, so it’s really important that young people know the most common signs."
What is lymphoma?
According to the NHS, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body. The lymphatic system is part of your immune system.
Clear fluid called lymph flows through the lymphatic vessels and contains infection-fighting white blood cells known as lymphocytes. In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the affected lymphocytes start to multiply in an abnormal way and begin to collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system, such as the lymph nodes (glands).
Meanwhile, Hodgkin lymphoma is an uncommon cancer, where B-lymphocytes (a particular type of lymphocyte) start to multiply abnormally and begin to collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system, such as the lymph nodes (glands). The affected lymphocytes lose their infection-fighting properties, making you more vulnerable to infection.
Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects people between 20 and 40 years of age and those over 75. Slightly more men than women are affected. Around 2,100 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK each year.
Five of the most common cancer signs in young people:
Lumps, bumps and swellings
Unexplained tiredness
Mole changes
Persistent pain
Unexplained weight change
Other signs may include:
Unexplained bleeding
Easy bruising
Fever or illness that doesn't go away
Frequent headaches, often with vomiting
Sudden eye or vision changes
Changes in bowel habits
Breathlessness
Cough or hoarseness that lasts for more than three weeks
If you have any of these symptoms, especially if they last for a while or you can't explain them, you should make an appointment with your doctor.
The most common cancers in young adults
According to the American Cancer Society, the types of cancers seen in young adults (ages 20 to 39) are not unique to this age group, but the most common types in this age range are largely different from those in children or older adults. Some of the most common cancers in young adults are:
Breast cancer
Lymphomas (non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin)
Melanoma
Sarcomas (cancers of connective tissues like muscles and bones)
Cancers of the female genital tract (cervix and ovary)
Thyroid cancer
Testicular cancer
Colorectal cancer
Brain and spinal cord tumours
