A young woman has revealed how her extremely itchy skin led to a devastating cancer diagnosis – despite doctors initially telling her she needed to moisturise more.
Sumbul Ari was unable to get a full night’s sleep for seven months due to the sensation of her skin crawling, leaving her ‘itching herself to death’ each evening.
Despite raising concerns, the 26-year-old from Cairns, Australia, claims doctors suggested the problem was likely caused by ‘dry skin’ and advised her to use moisturising creams.
Ms Ari said her symptoms began last April, the first of which was ‘uncontrollable itching’ which ‘got worse at night’ and ‘would keep me up for hours’.
She added: ‘I would scratch myself with sharp objects, and no medication, cream or antihistamines would help. Doctors put it down to dry skin, scabies, eczema.’
But when other symptoms developed – including night sweats, chronic fatigue and a loss of appetite – Ms Ari suspected something more serious was at play.
Then, after finding a lump on the back of her neck, it became far more serious than even she thought.
Ms Ali said: ‘I randomly touched my neck and felt a lump. When I did my Google search, the symptoms came up – itchy skin, fatigue, night sweats. I knew instantly I had cancer.’
Sumbul Ari has told how her extremely itchy skin led to a devastating cancer diagnosis
The symptoms aligned with the rare form of the disease, Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare cancer that begins in the white blood cells.
Around 2,200 people in Britain are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma each year, accounting for roughly 1 per cent of all cancer cases nationwide.
Globally, the figure rises to just under 83,000 cases annually, according to the latest published statistics from the World Health Organisation.
One of the most high-profile cases is Michael C. Hall, who revealed in 2009 that he had been diagnosed aged 38 while filming the fourth season of Dexter.
As well as being one of the rarest forms of cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma is most commonly diagnosed in adults aged 20 to 24 and 75 to 79.
Being young herself, Ms Ari booked another appointment as soon as she realised her symptoms matched the disease.
Through tears, she listed the conditions she had already been treated for and pleaded for an ultrasound scan.
Official NHS guidance lists itchy skin alongside painless lumps or swelling in the neck, armpit or groin as some of the most common symptoms.
Pain in those areas after drinking alcohol, as well as high temperatures, night sweats, shortness of breath and sudden weight loss can also be warning signs.
On March 17 – and almost a year after her first symptom – Ms Ari received an official diagnosis from the haematologist.
She said: ‘After I received my ultrasound result, which confirmed multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, the doctor urged me to go to the hospital.
‘A CT scan was done and doctors at the hospital confirmed more enlarged lymph nodes across my chest and neck.
‘They said they highly suspect lymphoma, so I had a biopsy and PET scan done the following week and got my official diagnosis on 17 March.’
Ms Ari’s cancer was found between stage two and stage three, with enlarged lymph nodes in her neck and chest, and spread to her spleen.
She has finished one round of chemotherapy and has five more to go, and says she is so ‘relieved’ that someone ‘finally’ listened to her.
She said: ‘For seven months, I woke up every single night to itch myself to death.
‘If you know there is something wrong with you, please do not stop advocating for yourself.’
