‘I had no lesions on my skin. It happens in 5pc of cases’ – Dublin woman reached stage four cancer before getting access to therapy

Miriam Staunton, from Templeogue, Dublin, found a lump under her arm and the immediate suspicion was that it might be breast cancer.

However, on further diagnosis, the former mechanical engineer from Templeogue, Dublin discovered it was melanoma skin cancer and doctors could not find the source of where it came from.

“That was in 2018 and it was already stage three. I had no lesions on my skin. It happens in about 5pc of cases,” she said.

She went on to have surgery and some radiotherapy.

I have no evidence of active disease since April 2020

“At that point there were no systemic treatments available. I went on to a surveillance programme where I was scanned every three months for progression of disease. Unfortunately, it progressed to stage four.

“Ironically, that opened up access to treatment for me. I was able to get a new immunotherapy medication at that point in 2019 and went on a course that…

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Independent.ie