Dad of two with terminal lung cancer calls for more testing for non-smokers

29 February 2024 , 15:54

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Paul Riley, 51, was diagnosed with stage three advanced lung cancer in May last year (Image: Paul Riley / SWNS)

A dad with only months left to live after being diagnosed with lung cancer has said there should be more done to test those who have never smoked before.

Paul Riley, 51, was diagnosed with stage three advanced lung cancer in May last year, despite having never smoked a day in his life. A malignant mass measuring 9.6cm was found by doctors and after rounds of chemotherapy, he was told on February 16 that he only has "months" left to live.

The dad of two is now calling for more testing in those who do not have a history with smoking - as Mr Riley has never smoked a day in his life. If you're aged between 55 and 74 and have ever smoked, you can be offered a lung health check with the NHS.

However Mr Riley, from Stevenage, Herts, said that testing everybody for lung cancer if they have symptoms - even those that haven't smoked - may save lives.

He said: "We need to start talking about testing everybody for lung cancer more not just smokers or ex smokers. I was fit and healthy, never smoked a day in my life, and now I'm a shadow of the person I used to be. If we start testing people with key symptoms, before giving them weeks of antibiotics or steroids, it would probably save many lives."

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Flynn, Paul, Ethan and Janine (Paul Riley / SWNS)

Paul was told he has only months to live (Paul Riley / SWNS)

Mr Riley said used to be fit and healthy, having a normal life spending time with family and walking his dog. In November 2022, the window cleaner began to feel fatigued and took Berocca - an over-the-counter tablet for energy - every day. He said: "I was used to running up and down ladders all day and it would get to 11am and I'd be exhausted."

It wasn't until February 2023 that Mr Riley began coughing after catching coronavirus and went to his doctors who told him to come back if it got worse. He said: "The doctor said if it doesn't get any better to come back and yet I couldn't get through to them when I rang back about a week later. I called 111 and they prescribed me antibiotics but it was getting worse - I couldn't even get out of bed some days."

After another round of antibiotics, Mr Riley had his chest listened to by a doctor who referred him to Lister Hospital for an emergency CT scan. Doctors found a 5.6cm mass in his lung and was sent for more tests including a PET scan and endoscopy to rule out cancer.

Results showed Mr Riley had adenocarcinoma, a stage three advanced lung cancer, in May 2023. He started chemotherapy and immunotherapy but after two rounds, his liver began to fail, putting a temporary halt to the treatment.

A CT scan revealed the mass had grown to 9.6cm and none of the chemotherapy had worked. On February 16 of this year, Mr Riley was told his cancer had spread to his ribs and potentially his brain. He said: "The worst thing in the oncologist room was when they said: 'How do you want me to put it?' And I said 'Just tell me how it is, be blunt'.

"He said you've got months, but if it is in your brain then we'll have to half that. Your choices are to go on holiday and enjoy yourself, or you can try a chemotherapy which will give you a five per cent chance of living.

Paul has never smoked a day in his life (Paul Riley / SWNS)

"I'm only 51, I've got a family so I'll take a risk and try the five per cent - I can't give up and I won't give up. If your life is this good and you have so much you don't want to lose, that's the only way forward."

Mr Riley said his diagnosis has had a "devastating" effect on his wife of 17 years Janine, 48, and their sons, Flynn, 15, and Ethan, 14. He explained: "The worst thing we have ever had to do is tell the boys. They just broke down we couldn't console them enough. My wife does most things for me now even down to washing my hair - it is very debilitating at the moment.

"She still works as a residential cleaner but she's had to put half of the business on hold to care for me. When I have this new chemo I will be a lot worse, losing my hair and being sick, so she's thinking about giving it up to care for me."

Mr Riley said he thinks everybody should be tested for lung cancer if they are having symptoms like a persistent cough and tiredness.

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He added: "Don't just give them antibiotics or steroids, test or x-ray them as soon as you can and you can diagnose them quicker. When I was diagnosed I was stage three and now I'm stage four. If its tested then they can prevent it from spreading - its the same for any organ but you can't live without your lungs."

A fundraiser set up for Paul by good friend Martyn Brooks has reached almost £6k in donations for the family to make memories. Martyn, 53, is running the London Landmarks Half Marathon on April 7 to help raise more funds and to spread awareness of lung cancer in non-smokers.

Paul said the support has been "overwhelming" and that he is a fighter who isn't ready to quit yet. He said: "My plan now is to put every effort into the chemotherapy. I might be bedbound for a while but hopefully after three rounds I'll have a scan and if its halted or reduced, that's great.

"If not, then they'll probably stop chemotherapy and that will be devastating. I keep on saying to everybody I'm a fighter and I'm not going to give up."

Zahra Khaliq