Woman with rare cancer told she had constipation

Tara Boyle, 45, from Omagh, was diagnosed with a type of sarcoma called leiomyosarcoma in her stomach in 2017. At the time she was working at the Macmillan Support Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Tara said: “I was told by my GP and by other doctors in A&E departments that the pain I was in and my unexplained weight loss weren’t serious, that I had a stomach bug or I was constipated.

“At no point during my three trips to the hospital, including one after I flew home early from holiday because I was in so much pain, were my symptoms fully investigated. But you know your own body, I knew I wasn’t well and that it wasn’t going away.”

Tara said she was “a bit reluctant” to go to the doctor again but just knew something wasn’t right.

“Thankfully a consultant I knew in one of the A&E departments reviewed my notes and spoke to my GP recommending further tests. One of my colleagues [at Altnagelvin] took one look at me and convinced me to keep pushing for help because she could see I was really unwell.

“It was actually her that managed to get me an appointment for an endoscopy, which had been cancelled by someone else, so soon after being referred for further tests. Without her I could have faced a longer wait.”

Because of Tara’s persistence, her sarcoma was diagnosed and she received treatment, including surgery to remove four fifths of her stomach, quickly, successfully aiding her recovery.

However, the charity Sarcoma UK said Tara’s story highlights the difficulty sarcoma patients face every day to get an accurate diagnosis.

Chief executive Richard Davidson said: “Being diagnosed with any cancer is an isolating and lonely experience, which is further amplified for sarcoma patients who have to wait a painfully long time for a diagnosis. At a time where the pandemic has hugely disrupted cancer care for so many patients, we need to do better for sarcoma patients.”

Around 15 people a day are diagnosed with sarcoma in the UK and symptoms can be vague - often a growing, possibly painful lump, or bone pain. Currently, only 55 per cent of patients survive more than five years. The later sarcoma is diagnosed, the fewer treatment options are available and the higher the chance of treatment not working.