12 December 2023 , 15:49
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Having overcome breast cancer, former Coronation Street star Victoria Ekanoye could be forgiven for being on egg- shells over fears of the disease returning.
But when appearing on ITV's Loose Women earlier today (Dec 12), The Real Full Monty star has revealed that she has undergone a blood test that shows up molecular circulating cancer cells - that would not normally be recognised by standard medical methods such as a scan. Victoria, 42, was tragically diagnosed with cancer six months after giving birth to her adorable first child Theo in 2021, after she found a lump in her left breast while feeding her newborn son.
ITV The Real Full Monty's Victoria Ekanoye gives health update after being 9th person in family to receive cancer diagnosisAfter a series of treatments the actress, who is the ninth person in her family to be diagnosed with cancer, was given the all clear. But she is determined to raise awareness of the disease and encourages women to carry out regular checks. She told the Loose Women panel: "I wanted to know...take a little more control of my treatment and the process and work out whether I needed to be on this medication, because it was more of a belt n braces, make sure we catch everything."
She added: "So I went and had an incredible, groundbreaking blood test to see if I had any circulating tumour cells left in my body from the breast cancer. I do, but it's a very small amount that can be treated. I hope its not a case of having to need chemotherapy because of all the side effects of that, but the main thing for me is knowing, because it's on a molecular level. It's not something you will see on a scan, or an ultrasound, mamogram. It's nothing you can feel."
Coleen Nolan stepped in to say "so you got it way in advance," to which Victoria replied: "Yes, so whatever... I'm waiting for results to come back because they've done another set of tests and once they come back I'll know." Victoria said she was inspired by the late Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, who passed away from the same disease in September 2021. In November of that year, Victoria revealed she underwent a double mastectomy after discovering a lump.
'Where The Full Monty was an uplifting caper, the TV series ladles on politics'
Coleen Nolan also appears on The Real Full MontyShe was later given the all clear but programmes such as The Real Full Monty helps in her quest to bring awareness to the public. Speaking to the Mirror, Victoria revealed: "Theo was six months old when I found a lump and I guess, two things for me: One thing is a lot of women – and I hate that I’m saying this because – a lot of women assume that any changes in your body are down to just having had a baby but it’s really important that you are still very breast and body aware because you just never know."
She added: "I’m the ninth person in my family now to develop cancer – the fifth to develop breast cancer – I’m a patron of a cancer charity so it would’ve been really silly of me not to take my own advice. I do speeches at universities and conferences and all that kind of stuff and, all of a sudden, it was me."
The star continued: "I was doing this [raising awareness] before I was diagnosed because it’s involved so much of my family. And with my mum being one of those people..." Victoria's mum Candy, who is also a patron of Prevent Breast Cancer, was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 when she was 41.