Woman's 'Unusual' Cough During Pregnancy Leads To Cancer Diagnosis Aged 23

Pregnancy is often an exciting time for parents-to-be, but that joy was soon tarnished for Zoe Plastiras, when she experienced some unusual symptoms in her final trimester that she couldn't shake.

Plastiras, 24, discovered she was pregnant in February 2022, and despite some morning sickness in the early stages, she felt that much of her pregnancy was "super easy, relaxed, and low risk." Excitement was building to welcome her daughter in the fall, but at 32 weeks she developed a cough and shortness of breath from the slightest of movements.

Many people tried to quash her concerns by saying it was only a symptom of pregnancy, but she told Newsweek that she "knew that wasn't right."

She said: "Everyone told me I was breathless because I was pregnant and near the end, but I knew it was more than that. I had a chest X-ray, and it revealed an almost 12-centimeter [4.7 inch] mass in my chest."

The discovery led Plastiras, from Buckinghamshire, U.K., to think the worst, but there was little investigation that could be done while she was still pregnant. For the final few weeks of her pregnancy, Plastiras tried to soldier on for her daughter and not think about the looming threat of her health.

Ophelia was born on October 4, three weeks early, but thankfully she was healthy. The family was delighted by the newest arrival, but the motherhood bubble soon burst for Plastiras when she had to head back into hospital for surgery.

"After a surgery on December 19 to test the tumor, I got the call on December 23 to tell me that I had lymphoma cancer. I wasn't surprised by this point. Of course, I cried, but I was waiting so long for a diagnosis (15 weeks exactly) that I was ready to hear it and start treatment."

What Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

At the age of 23, Plastiras was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which affects the network of vessels and glands in the body, known as the lymphatic system. It's thought that the most common symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is painless swelling of the lymph nodes, possible in the neck, armpit, or groin area.

Receiving this diagnosis during pregnancy is considered rare, as the U.K.-based charity Lymphoma Action suggests that around one in every 1,000 women in the U.K. are diagnosed with lymphoma during pregnancy. They note that there isn't any evidence to suggest a link between pregnancy and lymphoma.

According to the U.K. National Health Service, more than 13,000 people receive this diagnosis every year, and it can occur at any age, though the risk increases with age. A third of cases in the U.K. are people over the age of 75, but the NHS adds that most cases are considered very treatable.

It's a similar picture in the U.S., as non-Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in the country and accounts for four percent of all cancers, according to the American Cancer Society.

Arkansas-based family nurse practitioner Agalia Baker spent several years in public health clinics providing prenatal exams, and she encourages women to advocate for themselves if they feel something is wrong, rather than blaming it on pregnancy.

She told Newsweek: "It is unfortunately common to develop tunnel vision in relating symptoms to the pregnancy. Many of the symptoms of lymphoma mimic normal changes and expectations.

"The best advice is self-trust. If you feel something is off, keep bringing it up until you feel confident you are being heard. Symptoms during pregnancy should be suspect until proven innocent because lives are at stake."

Baker adds that the symptoms she saw most frequently in lymphoma patients were swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit, or of those in the hollow above the collarbone.

'I Felt Like I Was Unique Having Cancer and Being Pregnant'

Soon after the diagnosis, Plastiras started six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by 18 rounds of radiotherapy.

It's been a grueling start to motherhood for Plastiras, but she continued fighting for the sake of her daughter and her family. In October she will have another PET scan which she hopes will confirm that she's finally in remission and can start to move on with her life.

She continued: "Juggling it all is a big mess and a struggle, you need lots of support. I have the best family support network and partner. I moved back in with family during treatment to have help with Ophelia."

Although she had so much support around her, Plastiras felt isolated by her cancer diagnosis, so she began posting about her experience on TikTok (@zoeplastiras). She also set up an Instagram account (@lymphomaawarenesszoe) where she discusses the realities of cancer and has connected with many others who find themselves in a similar situation.

"I felt like I was unique having cancer and being pregnant and a health issue is not something you want to be unique in. I wanted to find other people in the same situation as me to help me on my journey. Now that the page is established, I can help others," she said.

"I have amazing support online. We all support each other, cancer patients and non-cancer patients."

On August 18, a video showing the journey that Plastiras has been on, from finding out that she was pregnant, to the discovery that she was pregnant with cancer a few months later, went viral on TikTok. The post, explaining that her story is a "little different to most," amassed more than 3.2 million views and over 473,700 likes.

She now urges other pregnant women to seek medical advice if they're experiencing any unusual symptoms, and not automatically to put it down to pregnancy.

"To any other woman who is pregnant, don't put unusual things down to just pregnancy. A lot of people wouldn't bother getting checked, but knowledge is power to stay alive."

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