'BAD LUCK' BLAMED FOR FATHER'S RARE CANCER DIAGNOSIS

A MIDLAND dad was diagnosed with a rare cancer after his pharmacist asked him a routine question when he ordered a repeat prescription.

- KATE POUNDS

Dave Paxton, 38, was requesting medication for anxiety and was about to hang up when the pharmacist asked if he had any other concerns?

Engineering manager Dave confessed his stools were a darker colour - and an endoscopy revealed he had cancer of the duodenum - the first part of the small intestine.

A CT scan a day later revealed it was a grade four squamous cell tumour - and Dave has one of just 22 confirmed cases worldwide.

The tumour has spread to his liver and is pushing on his pancreas and is bleeding, so Dave needs a blood transfusion every four days.