Labour MP Chris Bryant undergoing treatment as skin cancer returns in lung

Athena Stavrou
·2 min read
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Labour MP Chris Bryant has revealed he is undergoing treatment after discovering his skin cancer has returned in his lungs.

The Rhondda MP took to social media to share the latest update five years after he was first diagnosed with melanoma five years ago after his husband discovered a mole on his neck following a haircut.

Doctors gave him just a 40 per cent chance of surviving the year in 2019 but after targeted therapy and skin grafts the stage three cancer was removed.

For the past five years, the 62-year-old has had scans every six months and everyone has come back clean.

However in February, he received the news that a type of skin cancer had been found on his right lung.

“I was helping in the Kingswood by-election when the doctor rang me - on my birthday actually - to tell me I’m really sorry to say that the latest scan has shown up something in your right lung.”

Mr Bryant (right) at the Kingswood by-election in February when he received his diagnosis (PA)
Mr Bryant (right) at the Kingswood by-election in February when he received his diagnosis (PA)

He will now have to undergo immunotherapy after having the cancer removed.

Speaking about the diagnosis, he said: “In years gone by, that might have been a death sentence. But thanks to immunotherapy, my chances of being completely cancer-free in 10, 15 years time are really good. So that’s brilliant.

“The immunotherapy is tough, especially when you’re on the combination treatment as I have been recently.

“It’s not as tough as chemotherapy but thank goodness for the innovations that doctors have brought in, I have every hope of being completely cancer-free for the rest of my life.”

The development comes five years after he was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2019.

The Labour MP for Rhondda was given a 40 per cent chance of surviving the year in 2019 (Parliament TV)
The Labour MP for Rhondda was given a 40 per cent chance of surviving the year in 2019 (Parliament TV)

In the video, Mr Bryant recounted his initial diagnosis: “Just over five years ago my husband spotted a strange mole on the back of my head, and I decided to take it to my doctor to have it checked out. Thank goodness I did because it turned out to be melanoma, a particularly vicious form of skin cancer, and a late one at that, Stage 3b.”

The politician also said that his announcement has coincided with melanoma month as he urged people to “take skin cancer seriously”.

“This is melanoma month, please please please take skin cancer seriously. If you’re in doubt about a mole, get it checked out,” he said.

“Secondly, please protect yourself from the sun. It’s sun damage in the end and it can be avoided.

“So cover up, use high-factor sun cream and ensure your kids are protected from the sun.”