Woman diagnosed with cancer after doctors dismissed symptom for three years

A woman has recounted her shock at being diagnosed with cancer after showing an obvious symptom for three years.

Taylor Scheib was 26 years old when she noticed that she had a growth on her neck.

Over the following years this became increasingly noticeable, and Taylor sought out medical advice as she was becoming more worried about the mass.

Speaking in a video from The Patient Story on YouTube, she said: "As soon as I tell someone I have this huge lump on my neck they're like wow I never even noticed it before, but I look at it, stare at it every day, and I also can feel it."

Taylor shared that over the course of three years she was told repeatedly by medics that the growth was benign and that she had nothing to worry about.

But then one set of test results after she decided to have the 5.7cm mass on the left side of her thyroid removed shattered that.

Taylor shared how she found out about the shocking news (taykbrooks/Instagram)

"How did I let this go on for so long?" she said. "And that's because multiple doctors told me it was nothing."

She added: "What happened was I thought it was benign, I thought it was nothing.

"I would just look at pictures of myself and think oh my gosh this thing is so huge it's getting so big and it's embarrassing."

In a heartbreaking admission, Taylor said: "I had to call my mom and tell her, you just beat cancer, but now I have it."

Taylor recalled that she is 'no stranger' to cancer, saying that both her mom and her grandma had the disease in the past.

She revealed that her Grandma Connie had passed away from breast cancer before she was born.

Nonetheless, it was a huge shock to be told that she had cancer after three years of thinking it was benign.

Taylor was left shocked by the diagnosis (taykbrooks/Instagram)

During that period, she explained in a post to her Instagram page that she had tests including two ultrasounds and blood work each year, and every time they had told her there was no follow up.

Finally, Taylor decided that even though she believed the mass was benign she would have it removed because it was 'growing and becoming uncomfortable'.

Then on April 28 2025 she opened a pathology report, which gave the diagnosis of oncocytic carcinoma of the thyroid gland.

Fortunately, Taylor explained that the cancer was not a very invasive variety, and she remains positive that it can be contained, despite the delay in diagnosis.

She wrote: "I have an incredible support system with my husband, family, and friends ... and I am truly positive I will be okay."