Midland dad diagnosed with rare cancer after one routine from pharmacist
A routine question from a pharmacist during a repeat prescription order led to a father being diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer.
Dave Paxton, 38, was getting his anxiety medication sorted out and just before the end of the call, the pharmacist inquired - "Any other concerns?".
Dave, who works as an engineering manager, mentioned that he'd observed his stools were of a darker shade – something he wouldn't normally have taken to a doctor.
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This led to him securing a GP appointment four days on, where an endoscopy disclosed he was suffering from cancer of the duodenum – the initial segment of the small intestine.
A subsequent CT scan indicated Dave is dealing with a grade four squamous cell carcinoma – a condition so rare there are only 22 confirmed instances worldwide.
The cancer has metastasised to his liver, exerting pressure on his pancreas, causing bleeding, which necessitates a blood transfusion every four days for Dave.
While doctors haven't offered a prognosis, he's undergoing half a year's course of chemotherapy aiming to shrink the tumour, along with radiotherapy aimed at ceasing the bleeding.
Dave's treatment expenses are covered by private health insurance obtained via his job.
However, due to the extreme scarcity of duodenal squamous-cell tumours and lack of trials regarding the efficacy of immunotherapy, Dave cannot access this treatment either through his insurance or the NHS.
To afford the £180,000 required for his 24-session treatment, Dave has launched a fundraising effort.
Hailing from Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Dave expressed: "This is terrifying and the treatment side effects are horrendous, but I'm very grateful to the pharmacist for checking in with me.
"I had noticed but wasn't thinking much of it.
"The diagnosis was such a shock. All I could think about was my son, I just burst into tears.
"But I also knew I had to get on with it.
"The cancer is so rare they just can't say how long I have, only that they are treating me to prolong my life.
"One of the nurses was so helpful, he just said 'you can beat this' go home and put on music, do the things you enjoy, don't lie down and give up."
Following his conversation with the pharmacist on February 7, he underwent an endoscopy on March 6.
Even simple activities like playing with his nine year old son Stanley and walking the dog leave Dave feeling exhausted, he shared.
"It all feels very scary, and it's a constant and exhausting battle every day," he expressed.
Dave has already undergone two months of chemotherapy and has recently started radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
Having a squamous-cell tumour in your duodenum is extremely rare, and it's even more unusual for Dave who is young compared to most patients with this condition.
He revealed: "They don't know how I got it so young, they just said it's 'bad luck'."
He believes that immunotherapy has shown promising results for tackling squamous-cell tumours.
He optimistically stated: "After six months hopefully I'll be in remission and looking towards Christmas and a new start.
"Unless you've been through something like this, you really don't understand how precious life is.
"I just want as much time as I can get with my family."
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