Former professional footballer Ana “Tita” Lopes has publicly revealed her kidney cancer diagnosis, which doctors termed an “incidental finding” after it was discovered during an investigation into recurrent urinary tract infections that are not typical symptoms of the disease.
The 36-year-old former Benfica player shared her experience on Instagram on Sunday, detailing a diagnostic journey that highlights the importance of patient advocacy.
Ms. Lopes recounted suffering annual urinary tract infections (UTIs), a common ailment for women. She said medical professionals initially told her these were normal for women over 30.
Despite regular health checks showing no issues, Ms. Lopes stated she did not believe the recurring infections were normal. She sought a renal ultrasound through a doctor friend.
The ultrasound detected a 34-millimeter angiomyolipoma, a usually benign tumor, which she was initially told not to worry about. A subsequent contrast computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 40-millimeter nodule with malignant characteristics.
“Some doctors called this an ‘achadoma,’ as if to say it was an incidental finding because, according to medicine, the symptoms for this are not urinary infection,” Ms. Lopes wrote, describing the term for a condition found by chance.
She noted typical symptoms for her condition include fatigue, severe lower back pain, blood in urine, or extended periods without urination, none of which she experienced.
Ms. Lopes concluded her post with an urgent appeal to her followers: “Just in case, if you usually have recurrent infections, ask for an ultrasound!”
Ms. Lopes, a central defender, earned nine caps for the Portuguese women’s national team. She concluded her playing career in the 2021/2022 season after a stint with Torreense.
Her career included playing for clubs such as União Ferreirense, Benfica, Cadima, Ouriense, and Condeixa. She joined Benfica in 2018 for the inaugural season of their women’s football program.