Rare cancer found after hysterectomy for childbirth complications
A Coventry mother says tests after a hysterectomy led to a rare diagnosis, and she is now working to raise awareness of the condition.
Key points
- Donna Marklew was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer after tissue removed during a hysterectomy was analysed, according to the BBC.
- The charity Neuroendocrine Cancer UK puts the number of new UK cases at roughly 6,000 each year.
- Diagnosis often takes around five years from first symptom because symptoms can resemble other conditions.
- Marklew undergoes regular injections and radionuclide therapy to control her tumours.
- She has started a local patient support group.
A mother from Coventry says a hysterectomy she needed for childbirth complications led to a rare cancer diagnosis. Donna Marklew, 44, was told she had neuroendocrine cancer after tissue removed during the operation at Warwick Hospital was examined. According to the BBC, the discovery followed treatment for a uterine prolapse.
Marklew said she had never heard of the condition before. She described feeling that few people recognised it when she tried to explain her diagnosis to them.
Why the diagnosis is difficult
Neuroendocrine cancer begins in the glands and nerve cells that produce and secrete hormones across the body. The charity Neuroendocrine Cancer UK puts the number of new UK cases at roughly 6,000 each year.
Lisa Walker, the chief executive of the charity, said the average gap between a first symptom and a diagnosis is five years. She explained that early symptoms can point to other conditions, so patients are often sent down different medical routes before the cancer is identified.
Walker said the disease can develop in any organ. It most commonly affects the lungs, the digestive tract and the pancreas, although it can appear elsewhere.
Marklew’s treatment
Later scans identified growths in her appendix, Fallopian tubes and nearby tissue. In March 2025 she had a nine-hour operation at Warwick Hospital, where surgeons aimed to take out the greatest possible number of growths.
Surgery alone has not been enough to control the disease. Marklew now has three injections each week. She has also recently started Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy, which is given four times a week, every two months.
Marklew said her tumours are slow growing and are classed as grade two. She noted that other forms of the disease can be more aggressive, and that her tumours are still growing.
Living with the condition and raising awareness
Marklew, an occupational therapist who works in Leicestershire, says she can live a normal life during treatment. However, she said the diagnosis has taken a heavy mental toll, and she has four young children.
Before the hysterectomy she had no clear symptoms. Looking back, she thinks anxiety and palpitations during a trip to St Andrews, which her GP linked to perimenopause, may have been early signs.
She said the condition is hard to explain because it is not visible. People often tell her she looks well, which she finds difficult when she is dealing with the illness.
She contacted Neuroendocrine Cancer UK for support and has since set up a local patient group. The first meeting in September was attended by one other person, and later meetings have drawn more people. Marklew said the group has been a meaningful experience for her and others.
Her campaign coincides with World Neuroendocrine Cancer Day, which falls on a Tuesday. She hopes greater awareness will help others feel less alone after a diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
What is neuroendocrine cancer?
It is better described as a family of related malignancies arising in cells that secrete hormones, found all over the body. Neuroendocrine Cancer UK says it can start in any organ.
Why is neuroendocrine cancer hard to diagnose?
According to Neuroendocrine Cancer UK, symptoms can resemble other conditions. The average time from first symptom to diagnosis is five years.
How many people does neuroendocrine cancer affect in the UK?
The charity Neuroendocrine Cancer UK puts the yearly figure at roughly 6,000 people, as reported by the BBC.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
