Published Nov 27, 2024

Woman, 27, Thought To Be Suffering From ‘Panic Attacks or Seizures,’ But It Was a Brain Tumor: ‘You Have To Trust Your Body and Push. Never Take No For An Answer’

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Understanding Astrocytoma Brain Tumors

Jessie-Mae Lambert, 27, initially thought her “episodes” of feeling “a little bit out of it” were due to panic attacks, as thats what her doctor thought. Her mom later realized they might be seizures, prompted her to get further evaluated. It turned out she had a brain tumor measuring 4cm by 3cm.
Astrocytoma brain tumors develop from astrocytes, which are “star-shaped cells” found in the brain. The American Brain Tumor Association describes these tumors as “slow growing and tend to invade surrounding tissue.”
The astrocytoma Lambert was diagnosed with was declared a grade 2. At grade 2, there’s a chance astrocytoma may progress into a glioblastoma brain tumor, according to research published in the National Library of Medicine.
When it comes to brain tumors, as new treatment approaches are continually being explored through clinical trials, the standard of care for glioblastoma has remained largely consistent since 2005. It combines maximal safe surgical resection (surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible) followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

Jessie-Mae Lambert, a 27-year-old from Nottingham, England, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor after suffering episodes of feeling “a little bit out of it,” which was initially dismissed as panic attacks.

Now, after undergoing a successful surgery to remove 40 percent of the mass and completing six weeks of radiotherapy treatment, Lambert is hoping that by sharing her story she can inspires others to push for answers when it comes to your health.

@jessiemaelambert
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I wanted to do this video to help raise awareness, and to talk about the steps I’ve been through to get to where I am now. I will be doing another video on my epilepsy symptoms but, if do you have any questions at all about my situation or my brain tumour diagnosis, please leave them in the comments and I will try my best to help as much as I can x
♬ original sound – Jessie mae Lambert

“It was in October last year that I started having ‘episodes’ where I just felt a bit out of it, but the doctor said they were panic attacks and prescribed anxiety medication. It was only when it happened in front of my mum that she realized it was a seizure and she took me back to the GP,” Lambert, who will continue to be monitored for the rest of her life, explained in a recent interview with SWNS, according to the New York Post.

“Unbelievably, he said that I needed to make up my mind whether they were panic attacks or seizures, even though I’d only ever described the symptoms to him. I was eventually referred to the hospital and told I needed an MRI and an EEG scan. I was put on a waiting list and getting more and more concerned.”

She recounted making multiple phone calls to get an appointment, which thankfully helped her get an appointment in April 2024—and the MRI revealed she had a Grade 2 astrocytoma brain tumor, which is rare.

Astrocytoma brain tumors develop from astrocytes, which are “star-shaped cells” found in the brain. The American Brain Tumor Association describes these types of tumors as “slow growing and tend to invade surrounding tissue.” This is a type of glial tumor and makes up “”0 percent of the tumors,” according to research published in StatPearls.

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A post shared by Jessie Mae Lambert (@jessiemaelambert)

Additionally, research published in the National Library of Medicine, explains that grade 2 astrocytoma is usually seen in adults and “may progress to glioblastoma.”

Lambert, a marketing manager who is hoping to return to work soon as she’s recovering from her six-hour surgery and radiotherapy treatments, told SWNS, “Just before the operation I wasn’t as scared as you might expect, I was actually just relieved to finally be going to [the hospital]. It had been such a struggle to get diagnosed.

“When I woke up, I asked if I could still walk, and I was so relieved to still be able to wiggle my toes and to be able to talk. But because so much of the tumor was left behind, I then had to undergo six weeks of radiotherapy in Nottingham City Hospital.”

She added, “The radiotherapy wasn’t a nice experience and it has led to a return of the epilepsy, which I had been warned might happen, but it was important to try and get rid of some of the grade-three cells that showed up on the scan.”

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A post shared by Jessie Mae Lambert (@jessiemaelambert)

As for why she’s sharing her story, she said “so many girls” have contacted her saying they don’t think they are being taken seriously when it comes to getting answers about their health.

She said, “They all feel like no one listens. Which is how I felt too. This is why I am telling my story publicly. Because people need to be annoying, ring their doctors every day, nag for an appointment.

“You have to trust your body and push and push. Never take no for an answer. In a way I am lucky because my tumor was pressing on something that caused the epilepsy, but it could have been much worse in years to come.”

It’s been seven months since Lambert was diagnosed and it’s certainly wonderful to see brain tumor advocate celebrating ringing the bell after radiotherapy treatments.

She took to Instagram to share a video of herself commemorating her last radiotherapy session, writing alongside it, “I did it. To say these past six weeks have been hard would be a huge understatement. But, I can now put this behind me and focus on my next chapters of recovery.

“Just wanted to thank all my family and friends who have been my absolute rocks, yet again, and supported me throughout this horrific time. And thank you to everyone who carted me to the hospital everyday for six weeks. Means more than I could ever begin to express.”

Looking back on her brain tumor journey, in a video she shared on TikTok, Lambert recalled experiencing her first unusual “episode” back in October 2023, explaining, “It was really scary, I didn’t know what was happening.”

Thankfully, Lambert pushed for answers and finally received a correct diagnosis about six months later, further reminding others how important it is not to ignore symptoms and get checked sooner than later.

@jessiemaelambert
Just a little update on the next steps of my journey. As always, any questions please comment or message me x #bekind
♬ original sound – Jessie mae Lambert

Understanding Brain Tumors

Brain tumors account for 85-90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). In 2023, the ASCO estimated that 24,810 adults (14,280 men and 10,530 women) in the United States would be diagnosed with primary cancerous tumors of the brain and spinal cord.

The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord and acts as the main “processing center” for the body’s nervous system. The normal function of the brain and spinal cord can become difficult if there’s a tumor putting pressure on or spreading into normal tissue close by.

One Survivor’s Advice for Taking On Brain Cancer

There are many different types of brain and spinal cord tumors and some of which are more likely to spread into nearby parts of the brain or spinal cord than others. Slow-growing tumors may be considered benign, however, even these types of tumors can lead to serious problems.

Meanwhile, symptoms of brain tumors, as a whole, are usually caused by increased pressure in the skull. This pressure can stem from tumor growth, swelling in the brain, or blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the American Cancer Society explains.

General symptoms may include:

Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Blurred vision
Balance problems
Personality or behavior changes
Seizures
Drowsiness or even coma

Additionally, MD Anderson Cancer Center notes that changes in the ability to smell can also be a sign of brain tumors, and, more specifically, “strange smells” can be a symptom of seizures, which can result from brain tumors.

It’s important to note that these symptoms are not exclusive to brain tumors. Still, you should always speak with your doctor if you’re experiencing any health problems.

Meanwhile, treatment options for brain cancer depend on a variety of factors, including the size and type of the tumor as well as the grade of the tumor.

Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are options doctors use to treat brain tumors. Cancer warriors are encouraged to talk to their doctor about their situation and the best treatment options.

Understanding Gliomas

There are various types of brain cancers and tumors that someone may be diagnosed with, so it’s important to understand that a glioma is a tumor originating in the central nervous system (CNS), specifically in the brain or spinal cord. A glioma originates in glial cells. Glial cells are supportive cells in the brain that protect and maintain the neurons. These types of tumors can either be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

“Glioma is a broad term that refers to a whole range of different types of primary brain tumors,” Dr. Alexandra Miller, Director of the Neuro-Oncologist Division at NYU Langone Health, tells SurvivorNet.

“They’re tumors that originate in the brain and very rarely spread outside the brain to other parts of the body,” Dr. Miller continued.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and lethal form of primary brain tumor. Classified as a Grade 4 glioma by the World Health Organization (WHO), glioblastoma presents significant challenges for treatment due to its highly invasive nature, rapid growth, and resistance to most conventional therapies.

WATCH: Understanding Gliomas

According to the National Cancer Institute, the average survival rate is 15 months with treatment and less than six if left untreated. While there is a five-year survival rate of averaging 6 percent, those individuals will never be cancer-free. They must continue receiving radiation and chemotherapy for the rest of their lives.

Clinical trials help doctors better understand cancer and discover more effective treatment methods. They also allow patients to try a treatment before it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can potentially be life-changing.

Within the U.S., all new drugs must go through clinical trials before the FDA approves them. Although the rewards of clinical trials can be great, they also come with risks. Talking to your doctor about this before enrolling in a trial is important.

Avoiding Provider Bias – Is Your Doctor Understanding You?

While your doctor has undergone years of training and practice, they are still human, and may come with their own set of biases that can impact how they treat patients.

To combat these biases and really get the most out of your interactions with your doctor, you should provide her or him with plenty of information about your life and ask plenty of questions when things aren’t clear. To better understand how you should approach conversations with your doctor, we previously spoke with Dr. Dana Chase, gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology.

According to Dr. Chase, physicians, like many of us, can be a bit biased when seeing patients. She made it clear that these biases are rarely sinister, but rather unconscious and more subtle.

She explained, “We have certain beliefs that we don’t know about. We might look, for example, at an older woman, and just by the way she looks we might make certain assumptions, and we might not even know that we’re making these assumptions.”

Let’s Talk About Provider Bias

Clearing up misconceptions is important, but so is understanding what your doctor is telling you, Dr. Chase noted. Overall, she advises women to speak up and ask questions when they don’t understand something.

“It’s never a bad thing to ask for something to be repeated, or to ask the doctors to explain it in different terms.”

So next time you go to your physician, speak up if you need clarity, so your doctor can understand you and you can understand them.

The Importance of Advocating for Yourself

Standing up for yourself is important. If you feel that you’re being dismissed or mistreated by a doctor. Getting a second opinion is crucial if something doesn’t feel right. Experts tell SurvivorNet that no one knows your body better than you, so if you feel like something is wrong, keep pushing for answers.

Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet that sometimes, patients need to be pushy.

“From a doctor’s perspective, every problem should have a diagnosis, a treatment, a plan for follow-up, and a plan for what happens next if the treatment doesn’t work,” Dr. Murrell said.

And as a patient, “If you don’t feel like each of these four things has been accomplished, just ask! Even if it requires multiple visits or seeing additional providers for a second opinion, always be your own advocate.”

Ultimately, patients advocating for their health can lead to better patient outcomes. This is especially important when you find your doctor has misdiagnosed your symptoms.

A component of advocating for yourself in healthcare includes going back to the doctor multiple times and even getting multiple opinions.

Dr. Steven Rosenberg is the National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery, and he previously told SurvivorNet about the advantages of getting input from multiple doctors.

Cancer research legend urges patients to get multiple opinions.

“If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care. Because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important,” Dr. Rosenberg said.