Woman told she was 'too young for breast cancer'

Alice Greaves first phoned her GP in November 2022 after discovering a lump in her breast.

The 27-year-old claims the doctor 'refused to examine her' and told her she was 'too young for breast cancer' - instead reassuring her that the lump wouldn't be 'anything serious'.

After describing the lump over the phone, Alice claims her GP told her the issue was with her pectoral muscle.

Alice says she thought the diagnosis 'made sense' at the time because she was participating in four high intensity gym classes per week. But after a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, Alice returned to her GP practice in February 2023 and 'demanded' to be seen.

After this time getting a physical examination of her breast, Alice says doctors told her it was 'really bad' and she was fast-tracked for further tests.

After seeking treatment through her private medical insurance, Alice was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer a week later - at just 24 years old.

She started chemotherapy at the beginning of March 2023 and underwent a 'life-saving' double mastectomy in August that year.

After a total of 16 rounds of chemotherapy Alice received the devastating news in May 2024 that her cancer had progressed to stage four and had spread to her lungs.

She received further radiotherapy treatment but in March 2025 was told that the cancer had also spread to her brain. In June, Alice was rushed in for emergency surgery to remove the brain tumour.

Alice, who previously worked in finance, says she is 'frustrated' that doctors initially missed the opportunity to diagnose the cancer.

She is encouraging other people to push for a diagnosis if they believe something doesn't feel right with their body.

Alice, who lives near Leicester, said: "It was sheer frustration over the fact that I had tried to be seen. I was a bit angry with myself that I kind of didn't push it, equally I was told that it was all OK and I was too young to get cancer.

"I took their word for it, they're the medical experts. It was a bit of shock but I kind of went into fight or flight mode and I chose fight. I've literally not stopped fighting since.

"I found a lump in my breast in November 2022. I rang the doctors who advised me that I was too young to get breast cancer and it wasn't anything serious. I pushed and pushed for an examination and they said they couldn't do that.

"The doctor asked me to talk her through how it felt and I spoke to her and she said it was my pectoral muscle. I was going through a lot of exercise and fitness classes so I thought it made sense.

"I was doing three to four classes per week and high intensity, so it wasn't really a shock that I had done my pectoral muscle. But after learning what and where your pectoral muscle is I've realised that that was completely the wrong thing."

It was only after a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer that Alice went back to her GP and pushed for a physical examination.

Alice said: "A friend of mine got diagnosed with breast cancer. I thought I needed to push it because something didn't feel right.

"I went back to the doctors and demanded to be seen which is not normal for me because I'm so laid back. I finally got seen and the woman who examined me had a feel of my breast and said it was really bad.

"I was literally given the results within a week and I had breast cancer."

Alice had both of her breasts removed in August 2023 but was told that her cancer had progressed to stage four after it spread to both her lungs and brain.

Alice had radiotherapy to treat the lung cancer and in June 2025 she underwent emergency brain surgery to have the tumour removed.

Alice said: "I had a follow up with my neurosurgeon on July 31 and he is very happy with how I'm healing and how I'm doing. I'm going to have a scan in eight to 12 weeks to see because theoretically [the cancer] is all removed from my breasts and my brain and it's just now in my lungs.

"Hopefully that's not changed but I think it will hopefully have got smaller in my lungs.

"I'm not currently having any radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment. I'm off it at the moment since the brain surgery."

Alice is now encouraging other people experiencing symptoms to push for a diagnosis if they think that something doesn't feel right with their body.

Alice said: "You know your own body and if something doesn't feel right you should trust your gut and pursue it.

"Even if you get the all clear and there isn't anything wrong it's the fact that it's peace of mind really. I pretty much didn't. Because I was told it was pectoral muscle, and that it wasn't cancer, I ran with that.

"That's not necessarily the right thing to do."

A spokesperson for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB, said: "We are unable to discuss the details of individual cases, due to patient confidentiality.

"However, if you are worried that you may have cancer you should come forward immediately to be checked in person by your GP.

"Treatment is more likely to be successful if cancer is diagnosed early, so it is vital not to ignore any changes to your body's normal processes or unusual, unexplained symptoms."