Dad, 35, recalls warning signs he ignored for 'longer than he realized' before being diagnosed with 'inoperable' cancer
Dale Atkinson was told the devastating prognosis on his son's birthday
A British dad has recalled some of the warning signs he ignored for 'longer than he realized' before being diagnosed with cancer.
35-year-old Dale Atkinson of Peak Health and Fitness was diagnosed with oesophageal adenocarcinoma in October 2024, a 'cancer that's found anywhere in the oesophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe', according to the NHS.
The type of cancer is often diagnosed late due to symptoms being misdiagnosed, with Dale being told the disease was far too advanced for surgery and that he could not be cured.
Dale had put down some of his symptoms to his hectic lifestyle bringing up two young children with his partner Ana. However, when they persisted, the dad knew something wasn't quite right.
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"For years, I had always suffered with heartburn and acid reflux, which I put down to stress and working long hours," he explained.
"Looking back, the warning signs had been there much longer than I realised. As far back as 2019, I had been going to my GP with acid reflux, acid rising during sleep, burning in my throat and nose, and stomach cramps. I was prescribed omeprazole and reassured.
"When things worsened, I was made to feel like I was wasting NHS time, so I stopped pushing as hard as I should have.
"By 2023 and into 2024, the symptom had become more serious. I started to experience pain after eating, swallowing felt strange, as if food wasn’t going down properly, and I lost a significant amount of weight."
It was on 15 October 2024, Dale's youngest son's first birthday, when health experts discovered a tumor.
"Then on 31st October 2024, doctors confirmed I had stage IV disease," Dale continued.
"It had already spread to multiple lymph nodes, including disease in the upper abdomen and around my aorta. I was told it was incurable and inoperable, and offered palliative treatment."
Dale had initially decided against going through chemotherapy, but after 'advanced genomic testing', Dale changed his tune and felt a way forward following his devastating diagnosis.
He added: "For the first time, I felt like I had a map instead of a diagnosis. One of the earliest useful results from that testing was chemo sensitivity analysis, and it came back in time to help guide my treatment decision.
"After discussions with my team about likely effectiveness, I decided to go ahead with CAPOX chemotherapy and pembrolizumab immunotherapy as part of my treatment plan, starting in December 2024."
Despite his diagnosis, Dale revealed that recent scans have 'shown major progress' with his health.
"There has been major regression in metastatic disease and my primary tumour has shrunk significantly from its largest recorded size," he continued
"It’s not remission yet, but it is real progress."
Callum Jones