A fit and active mother of two has been diagnosed with incurable lung cancer after doctors repeatedly dismissed a lump on her chest as a harmless cyst. Chloe Houghton, 32, from Northamptonshire, was told the mass was likely cartilage or a cyst, but it continued to grow and became painful.
The beauty salon owner, who has never smoked or vaped, first noticed the small lump while showering. Despite multiple GP visits and clear blood tests, she pushed for its removal. By the time it was removed in February 2026, the lump had grown to two centimetres, and she had lost three stone in weight.
A CT scan flagged an abnormality on her lungs, and tests revealed the lump was a secondary tumour from small cell lung cancer, an aggressive form almost exclusively linked to smoking. The cancer had already spread, making surgery impossible.
Chloe was told the disease would significantly reduce her life expectancy. She said: 'I've got a one-year-old and a four-year-old. I'm not going to see them grow up, am I?' She now wants to urge other women to listen to their bodies and advocate for themselves if they feel something is wrong.
Her husband, former firefighter Jamie, has been supporting her alongside her mother. Chloe added: 'All you need for lung cancer is a pair of lungs.'
