A Lancashire mum who thought a lump in her throat was the result of a lingering cold was shocked to discover it was actually a sign of tongue cancer.
Lisa Martin, from Thornton, first noticed a small lump under her chin in August 2018 and assumed it was a swollen gland.
However, when it failed to disappear, she visited her GP and was referred for further tests.
The 47-year-old, who works in fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support, underwent a series of investigations, including tests on fluid taken from the lump.
Despite two clear results and surgery to remove what doctors believed was a gland, further analysis revealed it contained secondary cancer cells.
What followed was a gruelling two-year journey involving six biopsies, numerous scans and three major operations before doctors were finally able to locate and remove the primary tumour hidden deep within the base of her tongue.
Lisa said: “Both of the robotic surgeries were very emotionally and psychologically intense.
“I was put into a coma, had to have a tracheostomy, had to be on a liquid diet through a tube, and couldn't speak for five weeks the first time.
“But the alternative to the robotic surgery scared me more - the potential side effects of the chemo and radiotherapy included a jaw reconstruction and having no saliva for life.
“It took a year of recovery, but I was finally confirmed to be cancer-free and I eventually got my life back.”
Initially convinced the lump was nothing serious, Lisa had it removed in October 2018 and returned to work believing the issue had been resolved.
But shortly afterwards she received a call asking her to return to the clinic.
She said: “I remember seeing the look on the nurse’s face as she brought me in to see the doctor.
“The doctor told me they had found secondary cancer in the lump - squamous cell carcinoma.
“They then needed to find the primary source. It turned out I had been quite far into my cancer journey before I even knew it had begun.”
An initial biopsy of her tongue identified areas of concern which required a more targeted procedure.
In March 2019, surgeons at Royal Blackburn Hospital used Da Vinci robotic surgery technology to reach the back of her throat and take tissue samples from deep within her tongue.
The operation required Lisa to be placed into a medically induced coma for 72 hours.
Afterwards, she was unable to speak and relied on text messages, handwritten notes and video calls to communicate with her family.
She said: “I couldn’t speak, so I was FaceTiming my sons and text messaging them to tell them off, or writing messages on bits of paper.”
The surgery eventually identified the source of the cancer as a tumour hidden at the base of her tongue.
Doctors then gave her a choice between chemotherapy and radiotherapy or a second robotic operation to remove the tumour.
Lisa opted for the surgery.
She said: “My original surgeon believed the second option - repeating the robotic surgery, but this time to remove the tumour - was the best option.
“So I put my big girl pants on and went through the whole process again.”
Following the second procedure in May 2019, Lisa underwent a third operation later that month, known as a bilateral neck dissection, to remove lymph nodes and ensure no cancer remained.
The treatment was successful and, after a year-long recovery, she was declared cancer-free.
In 2024, five years after completing treatment, Lisa received her final clear scans and was discharged from care.
Reflecting on her experience, she said: “It’s definitely all been a shock to the system but the words we use are grateful and lucky.
“Not everyone is given the option for robotic surgery so I guess it was a case of right place, right time, and I feel incredibly lucky I had the opportunity for that.
“For others, I’d say get as much information as you can, and make the decision that’s right for you.
“And hard as it is, try to stay positive throughout it all. If you can get through it, life is for living.”
Jonathan Gregory, National Clinical Adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “It’s fantastic that innovations like robotic surgery are already helping people like Lisa to have a high quality of life after cancer treatment.
“But it is critical that everyone benefits from these advances, regardless of factors like where they live, or where they receive their treatment.”
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