NBC anchor Antonia Hilton has been diagnosed with a rare cancer

NBC News’ Antonia Hilton spoke about being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after initially ignoring her symptoms.

The 30-year-old journalist recalls that he had constant stomach problems for the past two years. However, “it was easy for me to write it off” because her career keeps her busy and on the road.

“I travel, I’m on planes [and] Maybe I don’t have the best diet. “But I love what I do, so it’s worth it and I’m not going to let these symptoms hold me back,” she said. today.

Hilton said she didn’t address her symptoms until August, when she watched a segment on the show today A show where Craig Melvin shared a story about his late brother who died of colon cancer.

“Something really stuck with me,” she admitted.

Hilton watched the clip as her symptoms began to worsen. “I would wake up (and) my face was swollen. I was having trouble going to the bathroom for days in a row,” she said.

Remembering her family history with colon cancer, Hilton finally went to see a specialist, who scheduled her for a colonoscopy.

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Three weeks later, on her 30th birthday, Hilton’s doctor told her that a scan revealed a tumor, which turned out to be a neuroendocrine tumor.

Neuroendocrine tumor is a rare type of cancer that releases hormones into the bloodstream. It causes symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, and changes in bowel habits.

“I was panicking,” Hilton recalls of the diagnosis.

Fortunately, her tumor was caught early, Hilton said, adding: “I had a series of procedures to remove tissue and screening tests to see if the cancer had spread. The last scan showed I was completely healthy.”

Although she is in good health, Hilton said the fear reminded her how important it is to take care of her body, listen to it, and take care of her health.

“I learned a really important lesson at 30 to listen to myself and put myself first,” she told the outlet. “I love my job. I’ve worked hard here at NBC, and I’m not going to stop doing that. But I’ve learned the lesson that I really need to put my health first and not shirk these things.”