Maria, 41, she blamed ‘awful’ body odor on being a busy mom… months later, the devastating truth changed everything: ‘I wish I’d known then what I know now’
At first, Maria Schenkel didn’t think much of her sudden increase in body odor.
A working mother of two, the 41-year-old was used to rushing from one thing to the next, and initially assumed she was simply getting hot and sweaty during her busy days.
But after a few weeks, she noticed the smell intensify – and, more strangely, it seemed to return almost immediately after washing.
‘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,’ says the former business development worker.
‘But because I was busy working and raising a family, I just carried on.’
It’s a decision Maria now bitterly regrets. After noticing a lump in her breast a few months later, she finally sought medical attention. Doctors found a 4cm cancerous tumor that, they said, had been there for some time.
Maria, from Greenville, South Carolina, underwent a mastectomy and two years on is cancer-free. But she wishes she had listened to changes in how she smelled far earlier.
‘I wish I knew then what I know now,’ she adds.
At first, Maria Schenkel, 41, didn’t think much of her sudden increase in body odor. Strangely, it seemed to return almost immediately after washing
It might sound strange, but experts say persistent and unexplained changes in body odor can signal a growing tumor.
‘Cancer cells can release compounds into the bloodstream which the body then releases in blood, sweat and breath,’ says Dr John Riches, consultant hematologist at Barts Health NHS Trust in London.
‘This can result in a change in body odor. What’s quite rare is that people are able to smell it themselves.’
Rapidly growing cancer cells can release tiny chemical particles called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), research shows.
These particles are then excreted through the skin, as well as in the breath, urine and stool.
Ongoing research is looking at ways to identify early cancers by measuring VOCs released by the body, says Dr Riches.
Some emerging studies have already shown that analyzing urine and breath can flag early tumors in gastrointestinal, liver and prostate cancers. And several major programs are examining the VOCs released by some of the most common breast tumors.
‘When you hear those incredible stories of a dog sensing its owner’s cancer, it’s VOCs the animal is picking up,’ says Dr Riches. ‘It’s still less clear whether humans, who tend to have a less acute sense of smell, can identify them as well.’
After noticing a lump in her breast a few months later, she finally sought medical attention. Doctors found a 4cm cancerous tumor that, they said, had been there for some time
In Maria’s case, a change in body odor was quickly accompanied by a range of concerning symptoms – all of which she initially dismissed.
Extreme fatigue saw her waking up in the morning feeling like ‘I’d been run over by a bus.’
She adds: ‘My legs felt incredibly heavy and I’d had eight or nine hours’ sleep, but I still felt exhausted. I honestly thought that was just what turning 40 felt like.’
Maria also found herself increasingly craving sugary foods, as well as experiencing regular bloating and finding unexplained bruises on her legs.
But it wasn’t until her four-year-old daughter accidentally pressed against her breast, leaving it sore, that Maria noticed an unusual area of ‘slightly harder’ tissue.
‘I thought it was just dense breast tissue,’ she says. ‘I really didn’t think it would be cancer, but I thought I should get it checked anyway.’
An ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy saw her quickly diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma – the most common form of breast cancer.
The diagnosis came as a complete shock. ‘I couldn’t believe it,’ says Maria. ‘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.’
Around 322,000 American women are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year – making it the most common cancer among women in the US, aside from skin cancers.
Most cases occur in women over the age of 50. But the number of cases among younger women – known as early-onset cancers – has been rising.
Research has linked a range of factors to the rise in breast cancer among younger women – from increasing rates of obesity and having children later in life to changes in diet and environmental exposures.
But despite increasing awareness, many still dismiss key early symptoms of the disease, experts warn.
Common symptoms of the disease are the same for both older and younger women, and can include a new lump or thickening in the breast, skin changes, changes in the size or shape of the breast and persistent pain.
Yet research shows younger women are more likely to attribute breast changes to hormonal shifts or simply overlook them altogether, believing they are too young for cancer.
Maria says: ‘I’ve met a lot of people through this journey who said they ignored symptoms because they were busy looking after everyone else.
‘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.’
