BBC celebrity Fearne Cotton has shared with her fans that she’ll need to take some time away from the spotlight due to health issues, after discovering two benign tumours in her jaw. The 43-year-old presenter is gearing up for an operation to have them removed before the festive season, yet remains ‘positive about it all’.
Posting to Instagram yesterday, she explained: “I’ve got a benign tumour just in my jaw here, below my ear, another little tiny one above it. I’m very grateful they’re benign but they do need to come out because they’re on a nerve.
“So I’m gonna have that surgery, and then I’m gonna be resting to get better before Christmas. Not very good at resting, so wondering how that’s gonna go. But I’m feeling OK about it. I’m going into the operation feeling good and well.”
Cleveland Clinic describes benign tumours as non-cancerous groups of abnormal cells which ‘multiply more than they should and don’t die’. Adenomas, fibroids and lipomas are among the countless different types that can develop almost anywhere in the body.
Usually, benign tumour development goes completely unnoticed and rarely causes ‘serious medical issues’, unless the growth is pushing on nearby tissues, organs or, for Fearne, nerves. The clinic’s advice summarises: “A benign tumor isn’t a malignant (cancerous) tumour.
“It grows more slowly than a cancerous tumour, has even borders and, unlike cancerous tumours, it won’t spread to other parts of your body.” Despite this, it’s important to note that some types of benign tumour can eventually turn into cancer.
People with ‘colon polyps’ larger than 1cm are particularly at risk, according to the US-based Roswell Park Cancer Centre warns. Therefore, it is vital to have any unusual growths checked by a doctor.
Beyond noticeable changes to the skin, Cleveland Clinic also suggests that persistent headaches, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and pain are among several other benign tumour symptoms. It advice adds: “Most benign tumours grow slowly. You may not need treatment.
“But you may need to see your provider regularly so they can check on your overall health and look for any change in the tumour.”