NBC’s Antonia Hylton, 30, Diagnosed with Rare Cancer After Ignoring Early Symptoms

The NBC News correspondent admitted that she had early signs of cancer but it was “easy for me to just write it off”

NBC News correspondent Antonia Hylton is opening up about being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after initially dismissing her symptoms.

The 30-year-old journalist recalled dealing with constant stomach issues for the past two years. However, it was “easy for me to just write it off” because her career keeps her busy and on the road.

"I travel, I'm on planes [and] maybe I don't have the best diet. But I love what I do, so it's worth it and I'm not going to let these symptoms hold me back," she told Today.

Hylton said she didn’t address her symptoms until August, when she saw a segment on the Today show where Craig Melvin shared a story about his late brother who died of colon cancer.

"Something about that really stuck with me," she admitted.

Hylton saw the segment around the time her symptoms started to worsen. “I was waking up (and) my face was swollen. I was having trouble going to the bathroom for days on end,” she said.

Remembering her family’s history of colon cancer, Hylton finally went to see a specialist, who scheduled her for a colonoscopy.

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Three weeks later, on her 30th birthday, Hylton’s doctor told her that the screening revealed she had a polyp, which turned out to be a neuroendocrine tumor.

A neuroendocrine tumor is a rare type of cancer that releases hormones into the bloodstream. It causes symptoms like fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, and change in bowel habits.

"I was panicking," Hylton recalled of the diagnosis.

Hylton said that her tumor was fortunately caught early, adding, "I had a series of procedures to remove tissue and screening tests to see if the cancer had spread. The last scan showed I'm all clear."

Although she’s doing well, Hylton said the scare reminded her how vital it is to pay attention and listen to her body and take care of her health.

"I learned a really important lesson at 30 to listen to myself and to put myself first," she told the outlet. "I love my job. I worked hard here at NBC, and I'm not going to stop doing that. But I've learned the lesson that I really need to put my health first and not push these things off."

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