A retired nurse says hospitalization with Covid saved her life after a scan alerted medical staff to her aggressive behavior cancer.
Jan Dea, 61, is now in remission, but her consultant told her that otherwise the cancer might not have been found until it was too late to save her.
The mother of three had already had her regular mammograms, but the screening tool may be less reliable for women with denser tissue.
Jan, from Stockton-on-Tees, was back in North Tees Hospital, her old workplace, when she contracted the dangerous virus in late 2020.
In an effort to check for any blood clots in her lungs, Jan, who had worked as a stroke nurse for 20 years, underwent CT scans of her chest that revealed the tumor.
She explained: ‘On November 22, I was at the end of my isolation period, but I just wasn’t feeling well.
“I was watching a movie with my daughter when I had to go to bed. I was freezing and shaking, but my daughter Katie said I was on fire.
“Katie called 111 and because I’m asthmatic they sent an ambulance. I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time.
“But because of my cough, the paramedics thought it best to bring me in to see if there were any blood clots. I was 42 degrees and my blood pressure was a little low.
“I had to go to the hospital alone and the next day they took me for a scan to check for blood clots in my lungs.
‘They injected me with a special contrast dye that helps to accentuate the areas examined.
‘The next day the consultant came to see me. She said there were no blood clots, but when they used the contrast dye, they found a mass in my right breast.
‘I was shocked. I’ve had all the mammograms. I go every three years. I thought I was okay.
‘But the consultant told me that because I have dense breast tissue, cancer is not always visible on a mammogram.
“I was referred to a breast specialist, but I couldn’t go until I was Covid negative. It had been 23 days since I had Covid. I just didn’t think it was possible.
‘After home isolation and two negative tests, I was able to see a consultant in December. After a biopsy, they confirmed it was breast cancer.
“I was told that if I hadn’t been admitted with Covid it would have been too advanced by the time I felt it.
“My surgeon, Mr. Mohamed Shaaban, told me, ‘Covid saved your life’.”
It was her husband Brian, 62, a construction tradesman, who first tested positive in late October 2020, amid the second wave of the pandemic.
Within a week, Jan also tested positive, along with 24-year-old Katie.
Jan said: ‘By the time my surgery came, we were in lockdown again in January 2021.
‘The hospital where I had to have surgery was closed. But my consultant said I needed the surgery within six weeks because the cancer was growing rapidly.
“So luckily she got me on a list at another hospital. They removed the area of the cancer and some lymph nodes to which it had fortunately not spread.
“Mr. Shaaban performed the operation. I waited another six weeks for radiotherapy and received a shortened treatment of five days.’
When it was all over, Jan celebrated by ringing a ceremonial bell as she left James Cook Hospital in Middlesborough, where her tumor was removed.
Jan said: ‘Now that my treatment has ended, I am raising money for Breast Cancer Now to raise money for research and support for everyone affected by breast cancer.
“I lost my mother, father and Molly across the street – who was like a second mother to me – to cancer. It almost claimed me.
‘I’m going to organize an Afternoon Tea for family and friends at home and a takeaway at work. I hope as many people as possible participate.
“I’ll be boxing pies, scones and sausage rolls to make takeout boxes and donating that money to charity as well. It should be a really fun way to get together now that we can all do that – and also to raise money.”
About 56,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK, and 11,500 lose their lives from it in the same amount of time. That makes it the fourth most common cause of death from cancer.
Melanie Sturtevant, Policy Manager at Breast Cancer Now, said: ‘While we know that mammography may be less effective at detecting cancer in women with dense breasts, we encourage women to continue to have an invitation to breast exams and to check their breasts regularly. to new or unusual changes.
‘We are investigating how the NHS breast screening program can better meet the needs of women with dense breasts.
“We hope the emerging studies will show the best way to ensure that these women have the best chance of early diagnosis.”
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