A student says her ‘melon-sized’ cancerous tumour was left for so long by doctors after they mistook it for a UTI that it grew hair and teeth. Mia Robins was finishing her first year of university when she began experiencing a painful pressure in her abdomen.
The 21-year-old, from Liverpool, then began noticing other concerning symptoms including fatigue, weight loss and hair loss. However, the biomedical science student said doctors dismissed these ailments with a number of diagnoses including alopecia, anaemia and a urine infection.
But Mia’s health was continuing to decline and an ultrasound in June 2022 confirmed the student had ovarian cancer. Mia, who was 19 at the time, underwent emergency surgery to remove the growing tumour which doctors said was the size of a honeydew melon and filled with hair and teeth.
And, despite Mia’s cancer returning six months later, following successful chemotherapy treatment, she was given the all-clear in August 2023. Now, Mia is urging others to always challenge medical professionals if they have concerns about their health.
Mia said: “I had my appendix removed in December 2021 and began experiencing pain the next month. I would wake up in pain like I needed the toilet straight away. I felt a lot of pressure and was dying to go to the bathroom but it would go away as soon as I went to the toilet.
“I was also sleeping for like 12 or 13 hours a day and kept sleeping in for work. I wasn’t really eating either. I lost about half a stone and dropped a dress size. Then my hair started falling out. I noticed there was a bald spot at the back of my head the size of my palm.
“I had a massive bulge in my stomach – I looked about four or five months pregnant. I went to A&E twice in three weeks and had about five GP appointments across six months about my symptoms. I was told lots of things like I might have celiac, anaemia, alopecia and a UTI. I told them in A&E that I was crawling to the bathroom in pain and they gave me antibiotics for a UTI but I knew it wasn’t that.
“I took the antibiotics and it didn’t help at all. I remember thinking I might have cancer and my friend said ‘don’t be silly’.”
Mia went to A&E once again in June 2022 where further tests revealed that the student had stage one ovarian cancer. Medical staff told Mia her tumour was the size of a melon and she’d need to undergo emergency surgery immediately.
Mia said: “They’d caught it early but it was absolutely massive. I had to have emergency surgery because it was the size of a honeydew melon – it was massive and growing. I was in such pain because it was directly above my bladder causing me pain.
“The fact they told me it was the earliest stage and hadn’t affected any other organ was a relief but of course I was upset. It all felt very overwhelming. I was a bit angry my symptoms had been dismissed. I feel like if there’d be an ultrasound earlier, it would’ve been caught. It took six months to get diagnosed. I was reassured that I would be fine and persistent in going back to my normal routine.
“The surgery was successful but they had to remove my right ovary, my fallopian tube and part of my abdomen and some lymphnodes. They told me the tumour itself had teeth and hair in it which is apparently normal with quite a big tumour. It had such a good blood supply, it was able to grow teeth and hair.”
Despite removing the tumour, Mia’s cancer returned in February 2023 and she underwent a three-month course of chemotherapy. In August, Mia was given the all-clear and has to undergo regular scans to ensure the cancer doesn’t return.
Mia said: “It was nice to know I was done with it now and could get back to my normal life. This is the first summer that I haven’t had to be in hospital for two years. I know I’ll be on edge with it for the rest of my life. I felt a bit ignored that my symptoms were dismissed. I was experiencing a lot of pain and knew it wasn’t a UTI. I didn’t feel believed. I felt ignored for six months.
“I say to other people, always challenge medical staff if you feel something is wrong. I could’ve died if I hadn’t kept going to A&E. My tumour would’ve kept growing and I could’ve died.”
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
