Rhiannon Douglas who thought she had shaving rash discovers it’s a rare form of CANCER

January 10, 2017

Rhiannon Douglas noticed the red blotches on her legs after shaving them both
But the patches quickly spread across her body and started to cause her pain
After being rushed to AE for tests, she was found to be suffering from cancer
Doctors revealed that the rash was a rare symptom of her Hodgkin lymphoma
They also said if it never appeared then she may not have been treated in time

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
05:04 EST, 10 January 2017

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Updated:
06:29 EST, 10 January 2017

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Rhiannon Douglas, 21, was found to actually have an unusual form of Hodgkin lymphoma – of which her rash was a rare symptom

A woman who thought she just had a shaving rash was shocked to discover it was actually cancer.

Rhiannon Douglas, 21, from Cannock, Staffordshire, noticed the red blotches on her legs but assumed it was down to her grooming.

However, the patches quickly spread across her body and she was rushed to AE with back pains.

Tests revealed she had an 8.5cm mass growing in her chest and that her rash was a rare symptom of an unusual form of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Doctors warned her that if the blotches never appeared then it is unlikely she would have been diagnosed in time to be treated.

But since her diagnosis, her tumour has started to shrink on its own – and she believes her vegan diet has helped.

Miss Douglas, a receptionist, said: ‘I couldn’t believe that the rash on my legs was a rare sign of cancer, I had never heard or seen of this before so I was completely shocked when I found out.

‘At first I just thought the rash was caused by shaving, it made sense as it was my cousin’s wedding a few days before and because I was wearing a dress I had shaved my legs.

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‘But when it started to spread I panicked and thought it was meningitis and went straight to the doctor.

‘My legs were constantly burning, I could only wear loose fitted clothes and I couldn’t wear shoes, I had to live in flip flops.’

She added: ‘I was misdiagnosed several times, and it took six months before I started to get pains in my joints and back I was sent to AE and that’s where they found the mass on my chest.

Doctors warned her that if the blotches never appeared then it is unlikely she would have been diagnosed in time to be treated

But since her diagnosis, her tumour (circled in yellow) has started to shrink on its own – and she believes her vegan diet has helped

Miss Douglas, a receptionist from Cannock, Staffordshire, said: ‘I couldn’t believe that the rash on my legs was a rare sign of cancer’

‘When I was told that I had cancer I felt numb and never thought I would hear those words at just 20 years old.

WHAT IS HODGKIN LYMPHOMA?

Hodgkin lymphoma is an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which is a network of vessels and glands spread throughout the body.

The lymphatic system is part of the immune system.

Clear fluid called lymph flows through the lymphatic vessels and contains infection-fighting white blood cells, known as lymphocytes.

In Hodgkin lymphoma, B-lymphocytes (a particular type of lymphocyte) start to multiply in an abnormal way and begin to collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system, such as the lymph nodes (glands).

The affected lymphocytes lose their infection-fighting properties, making sufferers more vulnerable to infection.

The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin.

Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects young adults in their early 20s and older adults over the age of 70. Slightly more men than women are affected.

Around 1,900 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK each year.

Source: NHS Choices

‘But I was determined to fight it and there and then I decided to change my lifestyle around, I wanted to do everything I could to get better.’

Miss Douglas first noticed the rash in May last year, but it wasn’t until it started to spread that she saw a doctor.

They told her she had Henoch-Schonlein purpura – a rare condition in which blood vessels become inflamed.

She was sent away and told to take ibuprofen but soon her symptoms started to worsen.

Her legs started to swell and she suffered from pain in her joints, causing her to struggle to get up and down stairs.

But after waking up with pain in her back just weeks later, she rang her GP and was urged to go to hospital after explaining her symptoms.

Despite her doctor thinking she may have a blood clot, tests discovered that to be false.

She then underwent numerous x-rays before finding out she had nodular sclerosis lymphoma in November.

So far Miss Douglas’ tumour has shrunk on its own. She credits natural remedies and becoming vegan for her recovery – but still returns to hospital each month for scans to check her progress.

She added: ‘After doing research online I found some articles that say a rash is a sign of cancer but it’s not a very common one, some people may not know what to look out for.

‘I would urge anyone to get themselves checked out if they are unsure of anything as you just never know what it might be.

‘But I also think it’s also really important not to put a death sentence on the word cancer, I have a really positive outlook and I’m hoping to be in remission by the summer.’