Woman, 75, has survived four different cancers across four decades
A 75-year-old woman from Greenwich, south-east London, has been diagnosed with four separate cancers over 40 years, with her latest lung cancer now controlled by a daily pill through a clinical trial. She says she feels lucky to still be alive and watch her grandchildren grow up.
Susan Gasson, 75, from Greenwich in south-east London, has faced four separate cancer diagnoses over four decades — a run of illness that stands out even among medical specialists.
Her story began in the early 1980s when, living in Hertfordshire in her early 30s, she found a pea-sized lump in her breast. Her GP referred her to the Royal Marsden, where she was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with a lumpectomy, requiring no further treatment.
A pattern of diagnoses
A few years later, heavy periods and anaemia led to a discovery of fibroids and a hysterectomy at Watford General Hospital, which revealed pre-cancerous cells that turned out to be cervical cancer, fully removed during surgery. In the mid-1990s, while her mother was being treated for thyroid cancer, Susan found a lump in her own neck. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had her thyroid removed, followed by further treatment that left her radioactive for about a week. Genetic testing ruled out a rare inherited cancer syndrome despite the strong family history.
The biggest blow came in 2020, when a persistent cough led to a lung cancer diagnosis. Surgeons removed a large part of her lung and a section of her windpipe, and she underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. When the cancer returned, a robotic biopsy showed she was eligible for a clinical trial.
Targeted treatment brings relief
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust says that before the trial, there was no targeted therapy for lung cancer patients with a HER2 gene mutation, which Susan has, meaning doctors relied on repeated chemotherapy with significant side effects. Since starting the trial, which involves a single daily tablet, her tumour has shrunk, she has needed no more chemotherapy, and side effects have been minimal.
Susan says the treatment has allowed her to witness important family milestones, including her granddaughter starting university. She credits staying busy and travelling with helping her through the diagnoses, and encourages other cancer patients to remain positive.
