TV Anchor, 53, Opens Up About Her ‘Inverted Nipple’ And How It Lead To The ‘Huge Blow’ Of Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis

"It was a huge blow to get that diagnosis, because you never think it's going to happen to you even though now the figures are one in two people over a lifetime will get a cancer diagnosis,” said on the documentary series The Waiting Room with Dr. Sukh Dubb, according to The Daily Express.

In Derbyshire’s case, doctors discovered in 2017 that there was no evidence of active cancer after the British journalist went through six rounds of chemotherapy and 30 sessions of radiotherapy.

Related: Beloved FOX 5 Reporter Ayesha Khan, 40, Urges Viewers To Get Mammograms Amid Her Own Battle With Breast Cancer

“I think I realized when I had my diagnosis, the more you talk about it, the more information you get out to people and that's a good thing because there will always be women who need to know about breast cancer,” she added. “I didn't know anything really about the symptoms of breast cancer until I was diagnosed myself. I'm almost ashamed to say that.”

Victoria Derbyshire's Breast Cancer Symptom

There are many symptoms of breast cancer, but for Derbyshire, it was an inverted nipple that led her down an internet rabbit hole.

"It was on a dark morning in 2015 that I Googled 'inverted nipple' as I was making a cup of tea, having spotted that my right breast looked different the night before," she previously told British publication The Telegraph.

"At the time, I didn't think it was anything to worry about, but as soon as I saw the words 'breast cancer,' I knew that's what I had," she explained. "Trying to stay calm, I emailed Mark (her now husband), who was still asleep, asking him to make a GP appointment for me that afternoon, then I went to work as though everything was normal."

During her appearance on The Waiting Room, Derbyshire admitted she felt she “was going to die” when she was first diagnosed, but now   the experience has given her a new outlook on life.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

If you experience symptoms similar to Victoria Derbyshire, it is important to be just as proactive as she was: schedule an appointment with your doctor right away.

But first, it is important to understand the symptoms of breast cancer:

• A new breast lump
• New swelling in one breast
• Changes in the nipple (such as puckering)
• Redness or flaking in the breast or nipple
• Discharge (including blood) from the nipple
• Pain in the breast

Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a breast oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, says that if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do not delay a doctor's visit or screening. However, she says she has seen many patients who ignore their symptoms because they are scared.

"Very often, we will see patients with breast masses that have been ignored for years because they're terrified, or maybe they're taking care of so many other people in their life that they don't have the space to take care of themselves," Dr. Comen tells SurvivorNet.

However, it’s normal to be scared. "I welcome the fear because once we know that they're afraid, then we can help tease out what they are really afraid of," she adds.

But do not let that fear delay a screening if you feel you have breast cancer symptoms. Do as Victoria Derbyshire and schedule a doctor's appointment as soon as possible.

 

Getting to Know Your Breasts with Self-Exams
Contributing: Sydney Schaefer

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