A Southampton woman has warned of an easy-to-dismiss sign of killer cancer after her late brother and husband – whose disease was caught in the nick of time – suffered the same sinister symptom.
Jenny Mosley’s brother, Ade, died in October 2018 aged 53, just six months after his diagnosis of oesophageal cancer, which he’d long mistaken for ‘harmless’ heartburn.
The death prompted Ms Mosley, 56, to encourage her husband, Dave, 48, to seek medical help for heartburn he’d also been suffering.
Mr Mosley had battled the symptom for over a decade, relying on over-the-counter antacids to help him get through the day.
Thankfully, he sought help in the nick of time – as specialists conducted tests that spotted a potentially pre-cancerous condition that turns into oesophageal cancer in roughly 13 per cent of cases.
Speaking of the experience, Ms Mosley, a project manager from Southampton said: ‘We never connected the dots before. For years, we just assumed over-the-counter treatments, like Gaviscon, were enough.
‘But Ade’s experience made us realise how dangerous ignoring symptoms could be.
‘Dave had persistent heartburn for at least eight years, maybe 10, before being properly checked.’
When Mr Mosley’s tests confirmed he had a potentially pre-cancerous condition – called Barrett’s oesophagus – the family experienced ‘a mix of emotions’.
‘[There was] relief that we caught it early,’ said Ms Mosley. But also fear of what could have happened if we hadn’t taken action.
‘Ade would be proud to know his experience helped save Dave’s life.’
The main symptom of Barrett’s oesophagus is reflux – when acid and food juices from the stomach travel back up towards the throat.
Other signs include nausea and pain in the upper abdomen.
Some people also experience a metallic taste in their mouth or have a chronic sore throat, Guts UK explained.
However, for Mr Mosley, heartburn was his only symptom.
Before he died, Ade worked abroad as an electrical engineer and didn’t even have a UK GP when his symptoms became unmanageable.
He was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, which his family described as ‘devastating’.
He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy but his cancer had progressed significantly and Ade died in October 2018 — six months after he was diagnosed.
Ms Mosely said: ‘It was heartbreaking to see him suffer.
‘He was so brave, even when the treatment took such a heavy toll. We wish we had known more, sooner.’
‘Ade was always the life of the party.
‘He was so full of energy and enthusiasm that it was hard to believe something so serious could be going on beneath the surface.’
Around 9,300 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK each year.
Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, heartburn that doesn’t go away, pain in the throat and unexplained weight loss, according to Cancer Research UK.
It wasn’t until Ade’s death that Ms Mosley and her family began to question the normality of such frequent heartburn, which her husband was experiencing.
Ms Mosely said: ‘My husband Dave had persistent heartburn for years, Gaviscon was a feature on the weekly shop because he was taking it so much.’
‘If you were taking paracetamol or ibuprofen every day, you’d go to a doctor, but for some reason, we don’t think the same with Gaviscon.’
Dave Mosley’s condition was spotted using an innovative capsule sponge test pilot, developed alongside Heartburn Cancer UK.
The test involves swallowing a capsule that dissolves in the stomach, which releases a sponge that collects cells from the oesophagus. These cells are then analysed for signs of oesophagus conditions including Barrett’s oesophagus and cancer.
The quick and easy test can be done for those with persistent heartburn by a trained nurse in a mobile unit or a GP surgery, without the need to go to hospital.
Under medical supervision, Mr Mosley began taking lansoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, to manage his condition and prevent acid reflux.
He will also undergo regular endoscopies to monitor any progression of Barrett’s oesophagus.
Ms Mosely said: ‘It’s such a relief to know Dave is being monitored closely.
‘We’ve made lifestyle changes together, and we’re more aware of the importance of staying on top of his health.
Ade would be delighted to know that he has helped Dave.’
‘He would have been happy that, at least, something positive came out of all his suffering.’
Fiona Labrooy, Chief Operating Officer with Heartburn Cancer UK, said: ‘In our day-to-day work, we too often hear of the missed opportunities when people die or get very sick because they’ve ignored persistent heartburn or self-medicate for too long. And it’s always devasting.
‘For many people, heartburn is a minor issue. But for some, it can be a warning sign of something far more dangerous.
‘Over Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month this February and beyond we hope to encourage people of all ages to look again at their heartburn and think seriously about how long they’ve had it and how often they get it.
‘If they regularly buy off-the-self or over-the-counter remedies or if it’s been around for three weeks or more, they should speak to their GP practice about it. It might just save their life.’
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