A CHEADLE dad-of-two who was initially thought to have acid reflux is now fighting a rare cancer.
Rue Metha is urging support for Cancer Research UK’s inspirational night-time Shine event.
He started to feel unwell as far back as 2022 with nausea and was initially treated for acid reflux. Rue had an endoscopy followed by an ultrasound which both proved inconclusive.
When he continued to feel unwell in 2023 and developed lumps in his neck, Rue had a needle biopsy which also proved inconclusive.
Thanks to private healthcare, Rue had a gland removed from his neck, but tests on this once again found nothing concerning.
In April of that year, following a week’s holiday Rue developed shingles followed by an infection in his leg which then ballooned coinciding with another new lump under his chin.
At the end of May, Rue returned to private health care and was given another ultrasound and needle biopsy. This time, cancerous cells were detected and following further tests, Rue was eventually diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma aged 49.
A PET scan revealed the lump in his neck was the size of a tennis ball.
Rue was immediately booked in for six cycles of chemotherapy, every 3 weeks at The Christie, and received BV-CHP, a combination of cancer drugs aimed at tackling lymphomas resistant to standard treatments, including brentuximab vedotin which Cancer Research UK played a key role in developing.
He was warned that the cancer would likely return in 12 months time, so treatment would need to be intense.
In February of 2024, Rue received a stem cell transplant using his own cells which involved six days of extremely high dose chemotherapy – followed by the transplant on the seventh day when his own cells were implanted back into him.
In November, another lump appeared in his armpit which was removed, tested and showed more cancer had developed.
Since November, Rue, who is now aged 51, has received immunotherapy and a dose of less intensive chemotherapy every three weeks.
Despite his oncologist urging him to take 12 months off work, Rue has continued to enjoy working for the family’s export business throughout his treatment.
He took part in Race for Life with his family over the summer and is now waiting for a donor stem cell transplant.
Rue is married to Sangeeta and they have two children, Jay 21 and Esha, 19.
He said: “Being told I had cancer was a huge shock as I’d had so many inconclusive tests and even ended up in the infectious diseases department at one point.
“So many success stories like mine are made possible by the work of Cancer Research UK.
“Advances in research and better treatments mean I’m still here to enjoy more precious time with my loved ones.”
The 10k Shine Night Walk returns to Manchester on Friday October 10.
