Woman diagnosed with terminal cancer aged 34 reveals the five warning signs she wished she’d never ignored

Linda Chavez, a 35-year-old battling terminal lung cancer, is using her platform to warn others about seemingly minor symptoms that could indicate the disease. Diagnosed with stage four lung cancer last year, after her symptoms were repeatedly mistaken for less serious conditions like allergies and sciatica, Ms. Chavez now faces a devastating prognosis of three to six months to live.

By the time her cancer was discovered, it had spread extensively, impacting her brain, bones (including her spine), lymph nodes, and adrenal gland. Now, she’s sharing her experience on Instagram and TikTok to raise awareness.

One of the most unusual symptoms Ms. Chavez experienced was persistent toe pain, which felt like constantly stubbing her toe. This seemingly insignificant pain was a sign that the cancer had metastasized to the bones in her feet.

Ms. Chavez, who lives in the US, also experienced more common lung cancer symptoms, including a persistent cough. However, she also suffered from several less typical signs:

• Extreme Exhaustion: Ms. Chavez described feeling “exhausted beyond belief.”
• Nausea: She experienced severe nausea, later attributed to the cancer’s spread to her right frontal lobe, which controls hunger, cravings, and nausea.
• Persistent Cough: This was a long-standing symptom, initially a mild tickle that worsened over time, becoming deeper and more painful, with a piercing sensation in her chest. She emphasized the importance of not ignoring a persistent cough.
• Breathing Difficulties: The cough eventually made breathing painful, forcing her to take shallow breaths. She resorted to taking over-the-counter pain medication (Tylenol) every morning for over nine months to manage the pain.

More recently, Ms. Chavez revealed she has lost vision in her right eye (the exact cause was not specified) and has been diagnosed with leptomeningeal dissemination disease (also known as leptomeningeal metastases), a rare complication affecting the thin tissue layers covering the brain and spinal cord. This condition, which occurs in a small percentage of cancer patients (more commonly in lung cancer), can cause numbness in the limbs, headaches, seizures, facial drooping, and vomiting.

Despite the updated prognosis, Ms. Chavez maintains a positive attitude, telling her followers, “it’s me so I’ll survive” with a smile. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with her medical expenses.

Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, with approximately 50,000 diagnoses each year. The survival rate is low, with only about 10% of patients surviving for a decade after diagnosis. Nearly 35,000 people in the UK die from lung cancer annually.

Nearly 80% of lung cancer cases are believed to be preventable, linked to factors like smoking, workplace exposure to toxins, and air pollution. Cancer Research UK data shows a significant increase in lung cancer cases among young British women and girls (up to age 24) since the 1990s, although this increase is from a very low baseline. Women in their 80s remain the most affected female group. Lung cancer rates in young men have remained stable during the same period.

Medical professionals urge anyone with a persistent cough lasting more than three weeks, or other potential symptoms such as fatigue, to consult a doctor. It’s crucial not to dismiss a persistent cough as a common winter illness, especially during colder months.