A woman was diagnosed with advanced cancer after doctors mistook her symptoms for anxiety.

A 30-year-old British woman has been diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma (the most advanced) after doctors initially treating her for chest and back pain mistook her symptoms for anxiety.

Furthermore, as reported by the British media outlet The Independent , she is calling for a ban on tanning beds in the UK, which are associated with a higher risk of skin cancers like the one she suffers from.

"I thought I had a second chance"

According to the aforementioned article, Lily Murphy, 30, had used these cabins fewer than ten times in her entire life when, in 2018, at the age of 23, she received her initial diagnosis of stage 1B melanoma (i.e., quite early) upon returning from a trip to Southeast Asia. Murphy received treatment and was eventually discharged from hospital for the condition.

"I thought I'd been given a second chance at life," he says. "I wanted to have fun, go on vacation, party, and enjoy everyone around me, because life is so short."

However, in 2023, she began experiencing back and chest pain, for which she went to the doctor. "I was very tired all the time, and I couldn't understand why," she says. "The following weekend, I worked extra hours and had back pain. I thought I had been sitting in a bad position, but the next day my chest hurt and I couldn't breathe." Lily Murphy works as an NHS administrator in the dermatology department at Watford General Hospital, where she went due to these symptoms.

Initially, the doctors treating her attributed these symptoms to anxiety, considering her history of mental health issues. However, her mother, who also worked at the same hospital, arranged for chest scans and blood tests, which confirmed she had stage 4 melanoma: that is, it had spread to other parts of her body, such as her neck and lungs.

"Your life should be permanent"

Murphy now faces aggressive treatment for the rest of his life, as the disease has spread to his chest, neck, and lungs.

Specifically, in April 2023, she began receiving rounds of immunotherapy, but she didn't tolerate the required doses well. She also developed a severe allergic reaction to the chemotherapy and suffered from sepsis as a result of the weakening of her immune system. However, she has now begun another treatment that is achieving some regression of the disease, and she has even returned to her job, which largely involves scheduling appointments for biopsies of dermatological cancers.

From this position, Murphy reports that he has observed an increase in young people being referred to his team for cancer biopsies , many of whom have a history of tanning bed use.

Therefore, in light of both her professional and personal experiences, Murphy is calling for a ban on tanning beds in the United Kingdom, emulating similar legislation in place in countries like Brazil and Australia. Specifically, she argues that the individual risk cost of these products is very high, especially in the context of a currently overburdened NHS.

"I've used these tanning beds for probably less than an hour in total in my entire life. Just getting into one for six minutes can change your life, not to mention the cost to the NHS. A single round of immunotherapy can cost up to £15,000."

Her Change.org petition has already garnered more than 700 signatures. Meanwhile, she continues to raise awareness , especially among younger people, about the risks of using tanning beds: "Your tan is semi-permanent," she warns, "but your life should be permanent."

References

Beth Kirkbride. Woman diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after symptoms dismissed as anxiety. The Independent (2025). Accessed online at https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/skin-cancer-symptoms-melanoma-sunbed-b2764483.html on June 12, 2025.

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