Woman's Nose Reconstructed After Rare Cancer Requires Removal of 80%
After a rare cancer diagnosis, Mel Frisby underwent extensive surgery to remove and reconstruct her nose using rib cartilage and forehead skin.
Mel Frisby, 39, had an estimated 80% of her nose removed and reconstructed with rib cartilage and forehead skin after a rare cancer diagnosis. The ordeal began in September 2022 while on holiday in Turkey, when Frisby experienced a severe nosebleed after jumping into the sea. Upon returning home, she noticed a small lump on her nose that felt like bone.
Her condition worsened, leading her to seek medical attention at Leeds General Infirmary. Initially diagnosed with osteomyelitis, an infection of the nasal bone, she underwent surgery to drain it. However, her nose continued to swell, prompting further investigation. A CT scan revealed a soft tissue mass, and a subsequent biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of high-stage sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the nasal cavity and sinuses.
Frisby underwent surgery on November 24, 2022, to remove approximately 80% of her nose, preserving her nostrils. This was followed by a reconstructive surgery a week later, utilizing cartilage from her ribs and skin from her forehead in a procedure known as a forehead flap. The reconstructed nose was connected four weeks later. She then endured 30 rounds of radiotherapy over six weeks, a treatment that unfortunately caused her newly reconstructed nose to collapse due to radiation damage to the bone grafts.
Three years later, Frisby is cancer-free, but her hospital has stated that further reconstructive surgery for her nose is not possible. She has been sharing her experience on social media to raise awareness and support others facing similar challenges.
Recounting the experience, Frisby described the immediate aftermath of the initial surgery as terrifying, with significant swelling that impaired her ability to speak or open her eyes. "It was a suffocating experience and I looked like a monster," she said, reflecting on the loss of her previous appearance and the fear of the cancer returning. "I was a woman and they took my identity, and the feeling of terror that they could take my face and I’d still die or it would come back – it was hard."
Frisby emphasized the importance of seeking medical attention for any unusual changes, stating, "When I tell my story I feel a responsibility to tell it honestly but not to the point it terrifies anybody to get checked." She added, "I am living proof of it – I survived."
She now undergoes follow-up checks every three months using a camera inserted through her nose. Two years ago, she was fitted with a custom-made prosthetic nose, which she described as making an "amazing" difference. Despite her current situation, Frisby is exploring potential consultations for amputation to improve her quality of life, though she remains hopeful for alternative solutions to save her nose.
"I’m still here and I’m raising my family and all of a sudden building a career," she said. "I get to raise awareness for head and neck cancers, in general I find there’s just none. I think if people don’t know certain cancers exist how many people are going to get them looked at in good time."