A STUDENT nurse claims doctors repeatedly dismissed her waxy ear and neck lumps as ‘fresher’s flu’ or ‘hay fever’.
Now Jasmine Raven, 22, has been left fighting for her life after biopsies of her neck lumps revealed she has cancer.
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Jasmine first visited her GP in September 2023, after noticing a pea-sized lump on the left side of her neck.
She was told the bump was mostly likely caused a virus but became concerned when more on them popped up on her neck.
This time medics Jasmine had an ultrasound, which confirmed that her lymph nodes where enlarged – but medics reckoned it was caused by a bout of ‘fresher’s flu’.
This is a term for the mix of viral infections and illnesses that tend to circulate among students during the first few weeks of the academic year.
Aside from being a third year student at the time, Jasmine only attended classes at uni once a week and never went out partying.
The student also suffered from hearing loss in one of her ears, which was put down to wax build-up or hay fever.
Jasmine – also a mum to two-year-old Esme – kept insisting that doctors look into her symptoms further and managed to have a biopsy taken of the lumps.
Because I’m young, they just didn’t consider the possibility that it could be cancer. I came with one lump and by the time I started treatment it was five or six
Jasmine Raven
But she was horrified when results showed that she had nasopharyngeal cancer.
This is a rare type of cancer that starts in the part of the throat connecting the back of the nose to the back of the mouth – known as the pharynx.
About 260 people are diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer each year.
‘A WAITING GAME’
The mum expressed her frustration that it took so long for the warning signs of her disease to be spotted.
She said: “It was around six months between finding the lump and getting the diagnosis, which was frustrating because if they’d scanned and taken the biopsy earlier, I could’ve started treatment a lot sooner.
“I came to them with a lump that wasn’t going away which should’ve been investigated more.
“I think because I’m young, they just didn’t take it seriously or consider the possibility that it could be cancer. I came with one lump and by the time I started treatment it was five or six.”
Despite medics saying she probably had ‘fresher’s flu’ , Jasmine was convinced that this couldn’t be the case.
“I said I don’t live in uni halls and only go in once a week for lectures. I don’t go out partying or clubbing ever. I’m not living the student lifestyle.
It’s not often you have to write a will at 22 and collect eggs for future children
Jasmine Raven
“I knew there was no way it could be freshers’ flu. They thought it was viral and nothing concerning.
“I was referred to ENT (ear, nose and throat specialists) but I had to keep ringing up to ask when my appointment would be.
“When I saw the consultants, they said they’d send me for a biopsy. It was a waiting game after that – a lot of calling up and asking what’s happening.
“At this point, I’d lost hearing in one of my ears and still now it’s gone – I didn’t know it’s one of the symptoms of the cancer.”
Jasmine thought her hearing loss might be caused by a build-up of earwax, so she visited a wax removal clinic.
The clinic referred her to further testing after noticing the “membrane [in her ear] was bulging”.
In a follow-up GP appointment, her hearing loss was dismissed as allergies, despite Jasmine not suffering from hay fever symptoms.
The student nurse said this assessment came “out of nowhere” – and she “knew full well it wasn’t hay fever”.
‘KEEP ASKING FOR INVESTIGATION’
Jasmine’s biopsy and a follow-up scan confirmed that the cancer had spread from the mum’s pharynx to her lymph nodes, causing the lumps on her neck.
Jasmine is trying to remain positive as she undergoes chemotherapy, radiotherapy and egg collection, despite fear she might not be here to see her little girl grow up.
Her nursing degree has also taken a backseat but she shared in a Facebook post that she hopes her ordeal will make her a better nurse and she hopes to qualify as soon as possible.
She said: “Of course thoughts of not being here crosses your mind with a cancer diagnosis.
“It’s not often you have to write a will at 22 and collect my eggs for future children. I’m just trying to stay positive for the future.
“I’d say to other people: keep asking for investigation to make sure it’s not anything sinister. Most times it’s not, but it’s always good to get everything checked out.”
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What is nasopharyngeal cancer?
NASOPHARYNGEAL cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects the part of the throat connecting the back of the nose to the back of the mouth – called the pharynx.
It’s often difficult to recognise nasopharyngeal cancer because the symptoms are similar to other, less serious conditions.
Also, many people with nasopharyngeal cancer don’t have any symptoms until the cancer reaches an advanced stage.
Symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer can include:
- A lump in the neck that doesn’t go away after three weeks
- Hearing loss (usually only in one ear)
- Tinnitus (hearing sounds that come from inside the body rather than from an outside source)
- A blocked or stuffy nose (usually only blocked on one side)
- Nosebleeds
- Headaches
- Double vision
- Numbness in the bottom part of your face
- Swallowing problems
- A hoarse voice
- Unintentional weight loss
See a GP if you have any of these symptoms, particularly if they haven’t improved after three weeks.
It’s very unlikely they’ll be caused by nasopharyngeal cancer, but it’s best to get them checked out.
Source: NHS