Woman Discovers Rare Cancer After Years of Dismissed Symptoms

A woman from Gloucester faced a long and challenging journey after her health concerns were initially dismissed as mere “women’s problems.” Bella Bayliss, 25, sought help in January 2019 due to stomach bloating, pain, breathlessness, and tingling sensations in her hands and legs. Despite her troubling symptoms, doctors at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital sent her home, attributing her discomfort to typical female issues.

Feeling persistent discomfort, Bayliss suspected that her condition was more serious. She continued to experience severe bloating and weight gain, even though she struggled to eat substantial meals. During a particularly difficult Christmas in 2018, she could not manage her holiday dinner, further raising her concerns.

Her situation took a drastic turn when she returned to the hospital in November 2019. An endoscopy revealed a 6 cm tumour in her stomach. Subsequent tests confirmed she had a Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST), a rare type of cancer associated with sarcomas that develop in the digestive system. This diagnosis necessitated surgery in February 2020, during which doctors removed both the cancerous tumour and approximately 70% of her stomach.

Fast forward to October 2025, and Bayliss faced another devastating blow. A routine scan revealed two small tumours on her liver, indicating that her cancer had returned. “I had a scan at the end of September thinking, ‘it’s just another scan,'” Bayliss recounted. The news struck her and her family hard, especially after five years of believing the worst was behind them.

Bayliss described her ongoing struggles with her health, stating, “I wasn’t eating a lot at all, and we were really confused about why I was putting on weight.” She noted that even small amounts of food left her feeling overly full and bloated, a situation that persisted for two to three years before worsening significantly.

The impact of the initial misdiagnosis weighed heavily on her. “If they hadn’t left me for so long, I wouldn’t have to have that much of my stomach removed,” she reflected, noting that the delayed diagnosis allowed the tumour to grow larger before they intervened.

Her current situation is challenging, as there is no medication available to effectively treat her rare cancer. Bayliss explained, “No one in my local hospital had ever heard of it before; they don’t know how to treat it.” The complexity of her condition means that surgery remains the only viable option for potential cure.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust expressed regret over Bayliss’s experience. “We are very sorry to hear that Miss Bayliss’s cancer has returned, and we understand how distressing this must be for her and her family,” the representative stated. They acknowledged the difficulties in diagnosing such a rare condition and emphasized the importance of thorough investigations for similar cases in the future.

As Bayliss prepares for further surgery to address her liver tumours, she continues to navigate the emotional and physical challenges that accompany her diagnosis. “I’m extremely overwhelmed and tired,” she admitted, highlighting the toll that these experiences have taken on her life. Despite these hurdles, she finds a sense of pride in her journey and the scars that tell her story.