A young woman has urged patients not to take no for an answer if they are dissatisfied with a diagnosis, after her leg pain, which was dismissed as a “sprain”, turned out to be a rare type of tumor.
Los Angeles-based Ashley Christine said she had been unable to walk for more than a month due to leg pain that doctors initially ruled out as a physical injury.
But the science communicator, artist and author said she knew that wasn’t the case in a TikTok clip that has so far been viewed nearly 2 million times.
When he first went to the doctor, he was told he had probably “torn a ligament,” also known as a sprain.
“I know pain and injuries and I thought, no, it’s not a torn ligament or a broken bone, something is really wrong,” he said.
Christine accused doctors of downplaying her concerns because she is “young and healthy looking.”
Finally, after several weeks and repeated doctor visits, she convinced a doctor to schedule her for a detailed MRI of her leg.
The shocking image is revealed in the clip, which shows a large mass on the limb, which Christine claims is a giant cell tumour.
A young woman has urged people to always defend themselves to doctors after leg pain that prevented them from walking turned out to be a rare type of tumour.
Giant cell tumors are rare and usually develop in long bones such as the arms and legs; It is estimated that only 30 cases are diagnosed in Britain each year.
The vast majority of these tumors are benign growths, meaning they do not spread to other parts of the body like cancer, but they can still cause problems as they grow rapidly, damaging bones and other tissues as they do so.
Christine went on to explain that she was facing a new battle to get an appointment with an oncologist, a specialist in cancer treatment.
“Then they told me I can’t see a doctor for this until January 30. Which is unacceptable,” he said.
Having had what she described as a “total mental breakdown” on the phone call with the medical assistant, she was finally scheduled to see the doctor on Christmas Eve.
“I’m crying because holy shit,” he said, pointing again to the white mass in the scanned image.
“He took one look at this and said, ‘We need to get this out as soon as possible.’
Christine said she is scheduled for a biopsy in the coming days to determine if the tumor is cancerous and needs additional treatment, or if a planned operation to remove it is sufficient.
“Friendly reminder to always pressure them because they think you’re faking it,” she urged her followers.
Giant cell tumors are most commonly diagnosed in people aged between 20 and 45, according to the charity Sarcoma UK.
The most common symptoms include pain, swelling and fractures in the bone caused by its structural weakening.
Surgery is usually the preferred treatment, although powerful drugs can also be used to reduce the size of the tumor.
This is usually only used as a last resort in cases that would otherwise be inoperable due to concerns about long-term side effects.
Patients who have had giant cell tumors removed usually have regular follow-up appointments and scans over the next few years to monitor for signs that it has returned.