A young London man is urging the public to always trust their gut instinct after his own persistent feeling that something was wrong with his recurring tonsillitis led to the discovery of a hidden cancerous tumour.
A Persistent Feeling That Something Was Wrong
Pawel Chmura, a 32-year-old front of house co-ordinator for a marketing agency, first began investigating his health towards the end of 2023. "It all started from something entirely different," he recalled. "The year before I was diagnosed with mouth cancer, I was having issues with my tonsils." He explained that he kept suffering from tonsillitis every time he returned from a holiday. "There are only so many times you can take antibiotics before you start asking questions," Mr Chmura stated.
Despite initial tests and swabs at his GP surgery coming back clear, he continued to push for answers. Using his Bupa health insurance, he sought out specialists. His persistence paid off when, at the start of 2024, he was referred to an infectious disease expert. This specialist delivered unexpected news: while his tonsils were 'fine', an MRI scan had revealed something suspicious lurking under his tongue.
The Shocking Diagnosis and Major Surgery
The path to a definitive diagnosis was not straightforward. Due to the tumour's difficult location, an initial attempt at a biopsy was unsuccessful. Mr Chmura eventually found a specialist surgeon who successfully removed the growth and sent it for analysis. Two weeks later, he attended a follow-up appointment, feeling "very, very optimistic as always."
His optimism was shattered when he walked in. "I felt something was off straight away," he said. The doctor and nurse sat him down and delivered the devastating news: "listen, unfortunately it's a cancer." Mr Chmura described how his mind immediately raced to his parents in Poland. "The only thing I focused on was how to tell my parents... You never want to hear over the phone that your only son has cancer."
In April 2024, he underwent major surgery at Cromwell Hospital. The complex procedure involved removing the floor of his mouth, a neck resection, and a forearm tissue transplant. He also needed a tracheostomy to manage post-operative swelling. His recovery in the Intensive Care Unit was a "blur" due to powerful painkillers, though he vividly remembers the disorienting first night and finding solace in music from the hospital TV radio.
Recovery and a Renewed Outlook on Life
The aftermath of the surgery presented its own challenges. Mr Chmura had to relearn how to use his tongue. "My tongue doesn't feel as flexible as it once was and I can no longer stick it out," he explained. Although he returned to work just three months after the operation, the fear of the cancer returning remains. "There is quite a high chance of reoccurrence in the lungs," he acknowledged. "So, although the thought of that is not the centre of my mind, it's always there."
This harrowing experience has profoundly changed his perspective. "I've named 2025 as the year of making dreams come true," he declared. "I want to try and get as much out of life as I can, because I could possibly have been dead at 30 if the surgery went wrong." True to his word, he has since travelled, seen Lady Gaga in Barcelona, and enjoyed fine food, embracing a new life motto of doing whatever he wants.
He now shares his story with a crucial message for others: "If there is a worry about anything, just go and have it checked, because if I didn't push, god knows when we would have found it." His case highlights a worrying trend, as a recent Oral Health Foundation report indicates mouth cancer cases in the UK have risen by 38% in the past decade. Key symptoms to watch for include mouth ulcers that do not heal, red or white patches in the mouth, loose teeth, difficulty swallowing, a hoarse voice, and unusual lumps or swelling.
