Maria Schenkel, a 41-year-old mother of two, was diagnosed with a two-inch cancerous breast tumour after noticing an unusual increase in her body odour.
The former business development worker, who now lives in Greenville in South Carolina, initially believed her change in smell was simply due to her busy schedule raising a family while working.
Schenkel noticed the body odour intensify over a few weeks, noting that it returned almost immediately after she showered.
"I remember thinking, ‘Why do I smell so bad?’, because I would have just showered, not sweat at all and then smelled so awful still," Schenkel said.
"But because I was busy working and raising a family, I just carried on," she added, noting that she now bitterly regrets that choice.
Greenville, located in upstate South Carolina, is a major regional economic and healthcare hub. Residents in the region rely on local specialist clinics and medical centres for comprehensive cancer screenings and diagnostic services.
Unusual Body Odour and Early Symptoms
A few months after noticing the change in smell, Schenkel discovered a lump in her breast and sought medical attention. Doctors diagnosed her with a two-inch cancerous tumour that had been developing for some time.
Following her diagnosis, Schenkel underwent a mastectomy procedure. Two years after undergoing treatment, she remains cancer-free but wishes she had acted on her initial symptoms sooner.
"I wish I knew then what I know now," Schenkel said.
Medical experts explain that persistent and unexplained changes in body odour can sometimes indicate the presence of a growing tumour.
Dr John Riches, a consultant haematologist at Barts and the London NHS Trust, explained that cancerous cells can release distinct compounds into the bloodstream, which are subsequently expelled by the body through blood, sweat, and breath.
"Cancer cells can release compounds into the bloodstream which the body then releases in blood, sweat and breath. This can result in a change in body odour," Dr Riches said. "What’s quite rare is that people are able to smell it themselves."
Barts and the London NHS Trust, based in London, is one of the United Kingdom’s largest healthcare providers. The trust oversees major teaching hospitals and conducts medical research into haematological conditions and oncology.
Chemical Signals and Volatile Organic Compounds
Scientific research shows that rapidly growing cancer cells release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are tiny chemical particles. These particles exit the body through the skin, breath, urine, and stool.
Volatile organic compounds are organic chemicals with high vapour pressure at room temperature. In medical research, scientists study VOC biomarkers in human breath and bodily fluids to create non-invasive early detection tools for malignant diseases.
Researchers are conducting ongoing studies to determine whether measuring VOCs released by the body can lead to earlier detection of various cancers.
Emerging studies have demonstrated that analyzing breath and urine samples can flag early tumours in gastrointestinal, liver, and prostate cancers. Multiple major research programmes are also currently examining VOCs released by common types of breast tumours.
"When you hear those incredible stories of a dog sensing its owner’s cancer, it’s VOCs the animal is picking up," Dr Riches said. "It’s still less clear whether humans, who tend to have a less acute sense of smell, can identify them as well."
Fatigue, Bruising, and Breast Tissue Changes
In Schenkel’s case, the alteration in her body odour was quickly accompanied by several other physical symptoms, all of which she initially dismissed.
She experienced extreme fatigue, waking up in the morning feeling as though she had been run over by a bus despite sleeping eight or nine hours.
"My legs felt incredibly heavy and I’d had eight or nine hours’ sleep, but I still felt exhausted," Schenkel said. "I honestly thought that was just what turning 40 felt like."
Along with exhaustion, Schenkel experienced cravings for sugary foods, regular abdominal bloating, and inexplicable bruises on her legs.
The presence of a tumour became clearer when her four-year-old daughter accidentally pressed against her breast, leaving the area sore and causing Schenkel to notice a region of slightly harder tissue.
"I thought it was just dense breast tissue," Schenkel said. "I really didn’t think it would be cancer, but I thought that I should get it checked anyway."
Diagnosis and Treatment in Greenville
Schenkel underwent an ultrasound scan, a mammogram, and a biopsy, which quickly confirmed a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer.
Invasive ductal carcinoma begins in the milk ducts of the breast and breaks through the duct wall, invading surrounding breast tissue. It accounts for approximately 80 per cent of all breast cancer diagnoses worldwide.
Mammography uses low-dose X-ray imaging to detect abnormal masses, whereas diagnostic ultrasound utilizes high-frequency sound waves to evaluate breast structure and distinguish fluid-filled cysts from solid lesions.
The diagnosis came as a complete shock to Schenkel, who maintained a healthy lifestyle, ate a plant-based diet, exercised regularly, did not smoke or drink, and had no family history of cancer.
"I couldn’t believe it," Schenkel said. "I lived a healthy lifestyle. I exercised, ate a plant-based diet, didn’t smoke or drink and there wasn’t any history of cancer in my family."
Rising Breast Cancer Rates in Younger Women
In the United Kingdom, nearly 60,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, making it the most common form of cancer nationwide.
While approximately 80 per cent of cases occur in women over the age of 50, the incidence of early onset breast cancer among women under 50 is rising rapidly.
Women under 50 currently represent one in five breast cancer cases in Britain, marking a 20 per cent increase since the early 1990s.
Researchers have linked the rise in early onset cancers to several factors, including rising obesity rates, ultra-processed diets, and environmental pollution changes.
Despite increased awareness regarding breast cancer in younger women, experts warn that many patients continue to overlook or dismiss key early symptoms of the disease.
As a result, studies indicate that women under the age of 40 are nearly 40 per cent more likely to die from breast cancer than women over 40.
Common symptoms of breast cancer remain identical across age groups, including new lumps, tissue thickening, skin texture shifts, size changes, and persistent breast pain.
However, research indicates younger women are more likely to attribute breast changes to normal hormonal fluctuations or overlook them altogether, believing they are too young for cancer.
"I’ve met a lot of people through this journey who said they ignored symptoms because they were busy looking after everyone else," Schenkel said.
"Don’t assume you’re overreacting. If something keeps bothering you or doesn’t feel normal, get it checked. Listening to your body could make all the difference," she added.
