Woman’s snoring was symptom of rare form of cancer: ‘Don’t ignore it’

A mother in the U.K. who began snoring for the first time in her life was stunned to learn the unexpected symptom was a sign of a rare and potentially life-threatening cancer.

“I started snoring, which I’d never done before,” she recalled. “I was waking myself up, breathing through my mouth rather than my nose.”

Claire Barbery, 51, initially brushed off the blockage on one side of her nose, blaming it on the after-effects of COVID-19 or irritation from frequent testing while working at a care facility, as reported by SWNS.

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It wasn’t until the persistent congestion worsened and she started snoring in her sleep that she sought medical advice.

“I very nearly canceled that appointment because I didn’t want to be wasting NHS time,” Barbery said, per SWNS. “There’s nothing wrong, I thought. But looking back, that decision could have cost me my life.”

Barbery tried using a steroid spray without success before being referred to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist in January 2023. 

After undergoing scans and a biopsy, she was diagnosed with olfactory neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that develops in the upper part of the nasal cavity.

Doctors discovered a 5-centimeter tumor that had already begun eroding the bone at the base of Barbery’s skull. 

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It was a dangerous and complex case requiring urgent intervention.

The surgery was performed at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham by consultant surgeon Shahz Ahmed, a skull base specialist, SWNS reported.

“If there’s something wrong, don’t ignore it.”

The procedure, which was featured in the Channel 5 documentary “Surgeons: A Matter of Life or Death,” involved removing the tumor along with Barbery’s olfactory bulbs, leaving her with a permanent loss of smell.

“Claire had a very rare form of cancer that needed to be removed,” Ahmed said in the report. “Untreated, it could have metastasized and spread into the neck and the rest of the body.”

Because the tumor had already spread through the skull base into the bottom of the brain, the surgery posed serious risks due to the proximity to vital structures. 

“The key worries were operating between the left and the right eye,” Ahmed said. “The main blood supply to the brain is in very close proximity, so the risk of seizures, stroke, injury to the brain and loss of life were all very real.”

The surgery was a success and there were no complications. Following the procedure, Barbery underwent six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 

She is now under regular medical monitoring and continues to recover, gradually returning to work and enjoying time with her husband and daughters, SWNS reported.

Now living in Newquay, Cornwall, Barbery is using her experience to advocate for awareness of head and neck cancers. 

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She recently partnered with the Get A-Head Charitable Trust to raise awareness for World Head and Neck Cancer Day.

“If you know your body, then you’ve got to push,” she said. “If there’s something wrong, don’t ignore it.”

According to SWNS, Barbery’s case is a reminder that even minor or unusual symptoms, like snoring, can sometimes be signs of something far more serious.

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Looking back, Barbery said she’s grateful she went to the appointment she almost canceled. 

“Even then, I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time,” she admitted. “But that decision ended up saving my life.”