'I didn't know back pain was sign of lung cancer'

A former GP who has been living with incurable lung cancer for a decade has said her diagnosis was a "bolt out of the blue" as she did not realise her lower back pain was a symptom.

Sally Hall from Oldham said lung cancer never crossed her mind when her back started hurting after hauling boxes around her garage.

But doctors found a tumour in her lung, leading to surgery and a decade of treatment that has helped stabilise the disease.

She said she wanted to raise awareness that anyone could develop the disease, but even with a late-stage diagnosis "there is still hope".

Due to her profession, Ms Hall said she was fully aware of the common symptoms of lung cancer, including shortness of breath, repeated chest infections and an ongoing cough.

Her back began hurting after clearing out crates of ceramic tiles from her garage and the thought it could be cancer never crossed her mind.

The pain persisted and medics found a tumour.

Ms Hall said she was told "if untreated I wouldn't be here for long".

She had spinal surgery before starting on targeted therapy, which she is still receiving ten years later.

Her cancer has since remained stable and Ms Hall said she had learned to live with "pretty much every side effect you can imagine – from dry eyes and skin to diarrhoea and crazy hair".

"I have been incredibly fortunate with my treatment," she added.

Ms Hall has sought to raise awareness with the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation that lung cancer can have some less obvious symptoms.

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

She said it was "incredibly important" to share her story to show that "if you have lungs, you can get cancer", regardless of whether or not you smoke.

The charity's chief executive Paula Chadwick said lung cancer was still "intrinsically linked to smoking" but the reality was that "anyone can get this disease".

She said the smoker or never-smoker labels had a direct impact on how quickly people were being diagnosed.

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

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

Have you been affected by an unusual diagnosis or symptom? You can contact the BBC via email at [email protected] and via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

The NHS website states that there are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer, but many people with the condition eventually develop symptoms including:

• a persistent cough
• coughing up blood
• persistent breathlessness
• unexplained tiredness and weight loss
• an ache or pain when breathing or coughing

It adds that anyone with these symptoms should see a GP.

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