A woman was tragically diagnosed with incurable stage 4 breast cancer after doctors mistook her growing tumour for ‘lumpy boobs’ over a two-year period. (Image: SWNS)
A woman was tragically diagnosed with incurable stage 4 breast cancer after doctors mistook her growing tumour for ‘lumpy boobs’ over a two-year period. Lea Hughes, 38, noticed a lump on her right breast at the age of 29 but was initially told it was simply hormonal. However, when she found that the lump had developed into a ‘dimple’, medical professionals swiftly sent her for a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy.
What followed was a harrowing confirmation of stage four breast cancer which, undetected for years, had spread to her liver and bones. Despite valiant efforts using various medications and treatments to contain the disease, Lea faced the dire news in August 2024 that the cancer had infiltrated her brain, and by March, her lungs as well. Now living in Leytonstone, east London, Lea, originally from the Wirral, is turning to private healthcare funding after exhausting all NHS options.
Reflecting on the initial diagnosis, the ex-fashion and retail marketer recalled: “When the doctor first told me I had lumpy boobs, I’d never heard of it before.”
“When the doctor first told me I had lumpy boobs, I’d never heard of it before.” (Image: SWNS)
She continued her saddening narrative, saying: “But years on, I saw the lump had grown when I was putting a bikini on and I spotted a shadow caused by the lump. Within weeks, I was diagnosed with stage four incurable cancer aged 31.” The relentless progression of her condition has left her deeply familiarised with the hospital: “I know the doctors and nurses so well now, after seven years at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. It’s longer than any relationship I’ve ever had.”
Lea first spotted a small lump on the front of her right breast in 2015 and sought medical advice. However, she was told that she merely had ‘lumpy boobs’ and since she was only 29 with no family history, she didn’t qualify for further testing. Despite trying to raise the issue several times afterwards, it wasn’t until an early 2018 holiday that doctors took action.
She recalled: “I was putting a bikini on and I saw a shadow and a dimple. When I explained it on the phone, they referred me straight to the hospital. I went for a mammogram and an ultrasound, then a biopsy. When it came back as cancer, they did a breast MRI scan and noticed a shadow on my liver in the corner. So they did full body scans – MRIs, PETs and bone scans – and discovered it had spread to my liver and bones. I was diagnosed with stage four incurable cancer in a matter of weeks in April 2018 on Friday 13th, of all days.”
She underwent several treatments at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in an attempt to stabilise and contain the cancer. In June 2022, she underwent a single mastectomy. However, one of the oral therapies made her so ill that she ended up in hospital in August 2023. She revealed: “I had hypercalcaemia – high calcium levels in the blood – and needed multiple blood transfusions. It felt very real – I realised that this illness really could take me out.”
After undergoing IV chemotherapy for 10 months, doctors managed to control the cancer and she stopped treatment in May 2024. However, a routine scan in August 2024 revealed that her liver tumours had started to progress again. A full-body scan was conducted to determine her eligibility for a new clinical trial, but it also uncovered that the cancer had metastasised to her brain. Lea shared her shock: “It’s one of those things, with stage four breast cancer, you know it can spread to the brain and you do worry.”
She added, “But I didn’t expect it then, because I had no symptoms at all.” In September 2024, Lea began whole-brain radiotherapy and another cycle of IV chemotherapy. This was followed by radiotherapy on her spine, but by December 2024, her body began to “give up” due to weakness. Reflecting on her condition, Lea said: “I’m 5ft 10ins and I went down to 7st.”
“I had hypercalcaemia – high calcium levels in the blood – and needed multiple blood transfusions. It felt very real – I realised that this illness really could take me out.” (Image: SWNS)
She described the harrowing experience: “I was too weak to hold myself up – I was watching myself waste away.” The physical changes were stark, as she recounted: “I had to shave my head when I started losing my hair too.” Lea confessed: “I didn’t recognise myself and seeing those changes was very confronting.”
The new year brought some hope, but by March 2025, Lea faced breathing difficulties. The cancer had invaded her lungs, leading to an emergency procedure where 4.5 litres of fluid were drained. Now on her sixth round of chemotherapy, Lea is determined to fight on. She is currently fundraising to access a targeted therapy called Enhertu, which is not available on the NHS for her type of breast cancer due to its extensive spread, including to her brain.
She’s hopeful that the drug Enhertu could be a game-changer for her brain cancer, as it has the rare ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, unlike many chemotherapies. The DESTINY-Breast12 trial by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo revealed that Enhertu boasted a 61.6% one-year progression-free survival rate in patients with brain metastases alongside breast cancer.
the prohibitive cost of over £10,000 per cycle remains an obstacle without NHS support. (Image: SWNS)
Yet, the prohibitive cost of over £10,000 per cycle remains an obstacle without NHS support. Lea remarked: “I always try to lean into the positive – accepting how sh***y this is, but also not giving in. But it does feel very real when things don’t work. I can’t believe everything I’ve been through – you don’t realise until you sit back and reflect. But I have no choice just to get on with it and keep fighting.”
To support Lea’s fight for access to ongoing vital treatments, visit her fundraiser at https://www.gofundme.com/f/leas-life-fund-for-access-to-ongoing-vital-treatments.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
