A stricken mum was left believing she would only have one more Christmas after a devastating pancreatic cancer diagnosis. But brave Bryony Thomas is ready to welcome another festive season despite her initial worries after being diagnosed in December 2019.
The 46-year-old was told five years ago that her tumour was borderline inoperable, and if the tumour could not be removed, she would only live for around 12 weeks. Bryony spent what she thought could have been her final Christmas with her daughter Eleni, then just eight years old.
Her scans were sent to the regional Hepatobiliary Multidisciplinary Team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, then part of University Hospitals Bristol, where consultants assessed whether an operation was possible.
Consultants at the hospital were concerned about operating on the tumour, as it was on Bryony’s portal vein which carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen to the liver. To remove the tumour, they would also have to remove a section of the vein itself, reports Bristol Live.
Ultimately, it was decided the surgery was Bryony’s best chance of surviving more than a few more months. Two weeks after her shock diagnosis, Bryony, who lived in Bishopston in Bristol at the time, was in theatre and the tumour, three affected lymph nodes and a 1.5cm section of the wall of the portal vein were removed.
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust consultant Meg Finch-Jones performed the complicated surgery, which has given the mum more time with her family. Bryony, who runs a marketing consultancy, said: “I simply would not be alive without the work of the team.
“Only seven per cent of people with my diagnosis make it this far and I am so grateful. Even when I was having chemotherapy in the Dental Hospital, during the coronavirus pandemic, care was amazing, and I can’t fault the treatment I’ve had.”
Now, to celebrate being cancer free for almost five years, Bryony is planning on running the London Marathon, in aid of charity Pancreatic Cancer UK. The mum-of-one is also hoping to share some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer to help other people spot it earlier.
Bryony said: “I went to see GPs on and off for years before my diagnosis and I was tested for so many different things. I was asked about my “bowel movements” but no one ever asked me if my poo was pale or floating. If they had I would have told them that it was. I later learned that this can be a sign of pancreatic insufficiency.”
The mum’s ongoing health conditions had been considered lifestyle factors by doctors, after various tests could not find anything wrong. But, when Bryony noticed her urine had turned fluorescent yellow one day and a deep brown the next, she decided to call 111 and was sent to a local hospital’s Emergency Department.
After the operation at Bristol Royal Infirmary in January 2020 Bryony had chemotherapy, led by consultant oncologist Stephen Falk, and now needs lifelong medication to replace enzymes which would usually be made by her pancreas. Bryony, who lives with husband Tom, 47, and daughter Eleni, 13, believes people need to feel confident discussing symptoms without embarrassment.
She said: “I think the term ‘bowel movements’ should be banned. We all need to get used to talking about our poo, and doctors do too.”
Mrs Meg Finch-Jones, Consultant in Hepatobiliary surgery at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We, the Hepatobiliary Team, are so pleased that Bryony has done so well and that she has chosen to champion pancreas cancer awareness. In her case, if we had not been able to operate while she was jaundiced, the tumour may not have been operable.
“All patients are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a lot of factors go into making these critical decisions. But when surgery is possible, aggressive surgery and advanced chemotherapy offer the people in our care the best chance. Recent advances in chemotherapy are also improving lives for patients who cannot have surgery. Overall early diagnosis is key.”
Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer:
- Belly pain that spreads to the sides or back
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Light-coloured or floating poo
- Dark-coloured urine
- Itching
- New diagnosis of diabetes or diabetes that’s getting harder to control. In a small number of cases when a person makes changes to their diet following a diagnosis of suspected type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes) and loses weight rapidly, this can be a sign of pancreatic cancer.
- A family history of pancreatic cancer. People who have a breast cancer gene, and a relative with pancreatic cancer are also at increased risk.
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.