NOTHING to write home about – that was the phrase Daksha Trivedi used when she casually mentioned slight stomach discomfort to her GP during a routine check up.
But further investigations on doctor’s orders revealed that Daksha had an aggressive form of oesophageal cancer. Her twin brother in Canada died a few months earlier, of the same cancer which had advanced to his stomach and was inoperable.
“Unlike my brother, I didn’t have any major symptoms, like heartburn or acid reflux,” she said.
“I had some bloating so my doctor was investigating for irritable bowel. If she hadn’t referred me, I wouldn’t be alive to tell the tale.”
The cancer was detected following an endoscopy, where a camera is passed down the throat into the stomach.
“Because of what happened to my brother, I was terrified the cancer had spread and I might not have long to live.”
But five years on, following radical surgery and a long slow road to recovery, the Professor at the University of Hertfordshire, is well and active. Daksha lives with her husband and mother in Meppershall, Bedfordshire, and devotes most of her time to raising awareness of oesophageal cancer and supporting others affected by the disease. She runs the Mid Bedfordshire Cancer Support Group as well as volunteering as a Macmillan Buddy.
Daksha also campaigns for more cultural awareness around the taboos of discussing cancer and seeking help for early symptoms, especially in the South Asian community.
She wrote a landmark article in the British Medical Journal how a family history of cancer affected her during her diagnosis, and how health professionals can support patients from different cultural backgrounds. Assuming the worst | The BMJ
“In the Asian community, there’s a fear of judgement,” she said.
“Doctors need to consider the wider family and their community to dispel misinformation, fear and stigma. We need to talk much more about cancer to ensure that people attend cancer screening and get the best advice.
“This is especially true with oesophageal cancers, when the symptoms can be vague and easy to ignore.”
Cancer Research UK says there are around 9,300 new oesophageal cancer cases in the UK every year, that's 25 every day (2016-2018). Oesophageal cancer is the 14th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 2% of all new cancer cases (2016-2018).
February is Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month. Charity Guts UK says the risk of developing oesophageal cancer increases with age, with drinking, smoking and being overweight.
One of the reasons this type of cancer is so important to be aware of is that it does not usually cause any symptoms in the early stages, so it is often picked up late, when the cancer has grown bigger and/or already spread. Symptoms of oesophageal cancer are:
* difficulty swallowing
*persistent indigestion or heartburn
* bringing up food after eating
* loss of appetite and weight loss
* discomfort in the upper chest, gut or back area.
These symptoms can be caused by other conditions and often they are not due to cancer, but it is important to get them checked by a GP.
Daksha describes her own cancer journey in her book and website “Now Living The Dream” Surviving Cancer – Now Living the Dream by Dr Daksha Trivedi – A cancer survivor gets her life back
