Mark Steel triumphantly shares he's cancer free after finding lump shaving

Image: Paul Grover/REX/Shutterstock)

Mark Steel has shared the triumphant news he is now cancer free as he reveals doctors "saved his life".

The comedian and BBC radio star, 63, wrote a candid column for The Mirror as he revealed he noticed his neck was "looking much bigger than normal" while shaving. He ignored it for two weeks but eventually saw a doctor after his neck continued to get bigger. After hospital visits and a lost biopsy, Mark was told he had cancer in at least two places, with the "primary cancer" in his throat.

Mark shared his cancer diagnosis in October last year, and has now been able to reveal the news he is cancer free. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said: "A nice man from UCL Hospital called this week, to say a scan of me showed the cancer I had has all gone. The treatment worked, the cancer bottled it and ran off, the wimp."

He added: "One thing I've learned through all this is I don't recommend chemotherapy or radiotherapy as recreational drugs. I can't see them taking off in the clubs. UCLH is an amazing place packed with wonderful souls. They've saved my life but I reckon this mention on Twitter makes us even. Also, I discovered my son and daughter are magnificent and that I know lots of brilliant people who are beautifully kind and funny and rude.

"And… lots of you sent me messages which was SO appreciated and I'd marry you all if there wasn't a law against it. Now I'll shut up about it, after the 'my cancer journey' book and tour and musical. And from now on I'll be careful not to catch cancer again." Mark's pals shared their delight at the update as Janey Godley said: "I'm so happy for you."

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Dara Ó Briain added: "Congratulations Mark! Delighted to hear that." David Baddiel commented: "What a cuck. Great news." Mark opened up about his cancer diagnosis last year as he shared how the doctor referred him for a biopsy after getting concerned about the "enlarged" and "uneven" growth. When a doctor phoned him several nights later, they asked him about his symptoms and Mark realised they were "unsubtle cancer questions".

He was still hoping he simply "twisted my neck into a lump by sleeping on a badly designed pillow." Following his biopsy, he was told he would hear back from them within a week. However, there were no updates after almost 14 days and the hospital explained they lost the biopsy in transit. "Then a completely new person called me, and said I had to go in for a repeat biopsy the next day 'to see what stage of cancer you have'. 'Hang on,' I said, 'No one has said it's definitely cancer, are you saying it's definitely cancer?' She paused. 'Yes. Had no one told you?'"

Writing in his candid blog post, he urged: "Most of the staff are paid appallingly and treated with contempt. Their minister quit and went on I'm a Celebrity, so don't take out your frustrations on them. Even so, it's reasonable to ask politely how they could have lost the biopsy and forgotten to tell me I had f***ing cancer."

The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.

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