Sarah Harding’s cancer is ‘uncommon’ and could have spread quickly without any obvious lumps, says GMB’s Dr Hilary
GOOD Morning Britain's Dr Hilary has spoken out about Sarah Harding's cancer diagnosis and claimed it is 'uncommon'.
Sarah, 38, told fans on Wednesday that she is battling breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
The former Girls Aloud singer posted a photo of herself from her hospital bed and said she is "fighting as hard as I possibly can" as she shared the shocking news.
Sarah tweeted: "Hi everyone,I hope you are all keeping safe and well during these uncertain times.
"I’ve not posted on here for so long, thank you to everyone who has reached out to check in on me, it really does mean a lot. I feel now is the right time to share what’s been going on.
"There’s no easy way to say this and actually it doesn’t even feel real writing this, but here goes.
"Earlier this year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and a couple of weeks ago I received the devastating news that the cancer has advanced to other parts of my body.
"I’m currently undergoing weekly chemotherapy sessions and I am fighting as hard as I possibly can," she added.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Thursday morning, Dr Hilary said it was rare for a woman of Sarah's age to be diagnosed, and said the cancer may have spread fast without any obvious signs or lumps.
Speaking to GMB hosts Ranvir Singh and Sean Fletcher, Hilary said: "The success rate and the outcomes for breast cancer have increased dramatically in the last 40 years.
"So that's really good news, we have got better treatment, we have got earlier diagnosis through screening, self-checking, so that's all good news.
"It's shocking isn't it? At just 38," he added.
"A lot of people are saying, 'But that's so young,' and it is, if you look at the stats about 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, it's the commonest cancer of all in women."
Dr Hilary continued: "But the majority of those will be over 50, 8,000 are under 50, and only about 2,000 under the age of 40, so it's relatively uncommon.
"But all the more devastating for that, when it's diagnosed at such a tender age, and we wish her all the very best."
Sean then asked him if the fact the cancer had spread meant it went undetected for a long time, to which Hilary replied not necessarily.
"It depends on the type of cell, some cells are much more aggressive, so you can have an almost undetectable breast lump which can spread to other parts of the body," he explained.
Upon hearing the sad news, many celebrities were quick to send well wishes to the blonde pop star - including her former Girls Aloud bandmates.
What is breast cancer and how does it spread?
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK - with one woman diagnosed every ten minutes.
While most women can get breast cancer, it is most common in women who are over the age of 50.
According to Cancer Research UK, breast cancer starts in the breast tissue.
Breast cancer develops when abnormal cells in the breast begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way and eventually form a growth.
Most invasive breast cancers are found in the upper-outer quadrant of the breast.
If it’s not diagnosed and treated it can move through the lymph or blood vessels to other areas of the body.
Each year in the UK there are around 55,200 new breast cancer cases.
This equates to around 150 new cases a day.
It also accounts for 15 per cent of all new cancer cases each year.
If the cancer is diagnosed at its earliest stage then 98 per cent of people will survive the disease for five years or more.
If it is diagnosed at the latest stage, then just 26 per cent of people survive for five years or more.
What are the four stages of breast cancer?
Stage one: The cancer is small and only in the breast tissue - but can also be found in lymph nodes close to the breast.
Stage two: The cancer is either in the breast or in the nearby lymph nodes or both.
Stage three: The cancer has spread from the breast to the lymph nodes or the skin of the breast or the chest wall.
Stage four: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
What are the signs?
- A lump in the breast or armpit
- Changes in the positioning of the nipple
- Nipples leaking in women who have not had children
- Skin changes
According to reports, Sarah told Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh the news in an emotional phone call days before she told the public.
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A source told The Mirror: "They’ve all shed a lot of tears but all of the girls vowed to be strong and be there for her no matter what. They are closer than ever as a unit.
"Sarah is very unwell and is living at home with her mum. They are both being very strong and everyone is doing all they can to support them both."