Grimsby mum diagnosed with stage four cancer despite clear smear test reveals signs

A Grimsby mum has bravely shared her harrowing experience with stage four endometrial cancer - a condition she was unaware of until her diagnosis, despite having a clear smear test.

Michelle Hancock, 32, initially experienced heavy bleeding between periods but managed to maintain her normal life, including going on holiday.

Following the shock diagnosis, the mother-of-one underwent six rounds of palliative chemotherapy, hormone treatment, and stomach surgery, after which she received the all-clear.

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Despite her recovery, Michelle admits to battling 'scanxiety' ahead of her regular check-up scans.

She is now under observation for the next five years and is using her experience to urge other young women to be vigilant about the warning signs of cancer.

Though smear tests do not screen for endometrial cancer, they can sometimes indicate abnormalities in the endometrium that warrant further investigation.

Speaking about her ordeal, Michelle expressed her initial disbelief: "It just came out of nowhere really. I was in shock because it was cancer, and I had no clue what type of cancer it was."

She added: "I'd never heard of it - it's usually an older women's cancer. But it's not found in younger women until the later stages because they're not looking for it.

"The symptoms are easily missed because they're about post-menopausal bleeding - young women with symptoms should get checked.

"It all happened really quickly, at the end of July I had a phone call saying it was inoperable and they were going to do six rounds of palliative chemo to extend my life. [The chemo] worked really well and I've now had two clear scans - but it was never meant to go to clear in the first place.

"I'm fine up until scans are due and then the 'scanxiety' sets in - at one point I wouldn't make plans more than two weeks in advance. It's affecting more and more younger people, but they don't know about it - none of my friends had heard about it."

Michelle recalls that her symptoms initially started in June 2022 after returning from a holiday in Turkey in May.

She suffered heavy bleeding between periods for a couple of weeks and experienced a feeling of weakness.

Having recently received a clean bill of health from a smear test, doctors suggested it was "probably fibroids" but she underwent blood tests and ultrasound for verification.

However, post-ultrasound results revealed she had stage four endometrial cancer that had metastasised to her lungs and lymph nodes in her belly. Michelle was offered palliative chemotherapy and an operation on her belly to remove all tumours except those in one lung - she eventually had surgery to clear the lung metastasis in October 2023.

In an inspiring turn of events, she received a clear CT and PET scan in January, indicating she was in remission.

She shared her ongoing anxiety, explaining that even with regular monitoring over the next five years, the apprehension around scan times persists.

"I never knew I was going to get a clear scan so now it's almost like waiting for recurrence," Michelle said.

Reflecting on her journey, she said, "Now I'm mostly positive but feel like I'm waiting for the shoe to fall - in the May I was in Turkey going down waterslides without realising there was cancer everywhere."

Highlighting the importance of recognising symptoms, she added: "Cramping, breathlessness, mainly bleeding in-between periods and any abnormal discharge are all symptoms.

"Family history of endometrial cancer and a family history of bowel cancer can be a link to this cancer as well."

Endometrial cancer commonly affects those who have experienced menopause, with the average age of onset being 51.