The lifesaving decision that uncovered my cancer
A woman discovered she had early-stage womb cancer after participating in a genetic research study for inflammatory bowel disease. The study identified that she carried Lynch syndrome, a condition that increases cancer risk.
Why it matters
This case underscores the life-saving potential of genetic screening and participation in medical research studies.
The lifesaving decision that uncovered my cancer A mother-of-five has said taking part in a research study for inflammatory bowel disease "saved her life" after a preventive hysterectomy detected womb cancer.
After having her genes tested as part of a study in 2025, Victoria Thurston, 51, from Martlesham, Suffolk, discovered she had Lynch syndrome — a genetic condition making her predisposed to cancer.
After deciding to have a hysterectomy to reduce the risk of cancer, during preparation for surgery doctors found she had early-stage womb cancer.
She said: "Nothing prepares you for a cancer diagnosis but the team were fantastic and very reassuring. They could tell me right away that they'd found it early and that it would be easy to treat."
In 2016 after experiencing symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, Thurston was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2017.
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