"I didn’t know this was a symptom of lung cancer - and I was a GP"

When it comes to lung cancer symptoms, most people would expect to have a persistent cough.

For decades, cough campaigns have dominated awareness messages, but the reality is there are many potential symptoms of lung cancer, with some less obvious than others.

As a former GP, Sally Hall from Oldham was fully aware of the most common signs of lung cancer – shortness of breath, repeat chest infections and, of course, an ongoing cough.

So, when Sally started to experience back pain, lung cancer never crossed her mind.

“I had been clearing out the garage,” recalls Sally.

“I remember hauling out some crates of old ceramic tiles, so it wasn’t surprising that my back started hurting!

“The pain persisted though, so after a couple of months, I went to my GP and a physio.

"What happened next felt like a complete bolt out of the blue."

Tests showed Sally had a tumour in her lung.

She also had two spinal mets which were causing her spine to collapse.

Sally required spinal decompression and stabilisation surgery, followed by spinal radiotherapy.

During this time, doctors took a biopsy which later confirmed she had a type of lung cancer called EGFR+ with the Exon 19 mutation

“I was told if untreated, I wouldn’t be here long,” continued Sally.

"After my spinal surgery, I started on the targeted therapy, erlotinib (osimertinib was still only in trial stage at this point) and, ten years on, I’m still on the same treatment.

“My next scans showed the tumour had shrunk significantly and the option of a lobectomy was suggested.

"This wasn’t usual practice for metastatic disease, but my consultants believed it was right course of treatment for me.

"Psychologically, for me,  it was good for to get rid of the primary."

Ten years on, and Sally’s cancer remains stable.

She has learned to manage her disease and the side effects of treatments, as well as sharing her experience to raise much needed awareness.

“Having never smoked, lung cancer was not something that I thought I’d experience,” said Sally.

“I have been incredibly fortunate with my treatment – although it feels like I have experienced every possible side effect!

"There’s also the security of knowing there are other tools in the toolbox should I ever need them, with new breakthroughs coming all the time.

“It’s incredibly important for me, and others like me, to share their stories.

"We need to make everyone aware that if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer and equally, even with a late-stage diagnosis like mine, there is still hope.

“Living with incurable lung cancer changes your world and makes you alter your expectations.

"I have pretty much every side effect you can imagine – from dry eyes and skin to diarrhoea and crazy hair – but with support I have learned to live with them.

"I’ve always been a keen walker and whilst I’d struggle with walking up mountains, I try and find similar pleasures in just standing at the top of a smaller hill or anywhere with a view.

"Being out in beautiful countryside is my complimentary therapy.”

Inspired by Sally’s story and the many others like it, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation has launched its Let Go of the Labels campaign for lung cancer awareness month, calling for a stop to terms like smoker and never-smoker.

“Lung cancer is still so intrinsically linked to smoking,” said Paula Chadwick, chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

"But the reality is anyone can get this disease, regardless of if they have smoked or not.

“The more people we spoke to, the more we recognised that labels like smoker and non-smoker were having a direct impact on how quickly people were being diagnosed.

"That is why we are calling for a stop to these archaic labels.

"Lung cancer doesn’t see them, and neither should we.”

For more information about the Let Go of the Labels campaign, or if you are concerned about symptoms, please visit: roycastle.org

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