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Cancer News Mum forced to avoid stress as ticking time-bomb tumour triggered by hormones could kill her Laura Bever's tumour is caused a potentially fatal cluster of blood vessels, which direct blood away from her brain * * * * * Share * * Comments ByJosh Saunders * 18:54, 4 JUL 2016 * Updated22:38, 4 JUL 2016 News Laura after second surgery Laura Bever's tumour is caused by a potentially fatal tangle of blood vessels beneath the skin (Photo: Caters) * * * * * Share * * Comments Get daily updates directly to your inbox ____________________ (Submit) + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email A mum is forced to go through life avoiding all stress due to a ticking time-bomb tumour in her face. The massive egg-shaped tumour on Laura Bever's face is caused by a tangle of blood vessels beneath the skin, and any stress could cause a flare-up, with blood being diverted from the brain causing a fatal stroke. Laura, 27, first felt a pain in her top lip and gums that developed into a lump doctors were baffled by three years ago. After numerous trips to the hospital , a shocked ENT specialist diagnosed her with a deadly arteriovenous malformation (AVM) after seeing the long tumour running through her face. An AVM is caused by a knot blood vessels, dangerously steering blood away from the brain. The mum-of-two, from Tuscon, Arizona, claims she was turned away by doctors for two years because they feared her face would suffer irreparable damage - despite her pleas that she would rather be healthy than pretty. Last year she found a surgeon who tried to destroy the "ticking time bomb tumour" but failed and since then it has continued to grow in size, expanding through her nose and lip. Recently a specialist offered to operate on her, but Laura has to wait until next year due to insurance problems and is concerned her AVM will continue to grow. Laura after first failed surgery Laura after first failed surgery in May where her face swelled massively post-op (Photo: Caters) Until then, she's trying to live like 'Little Miss Happy' and is avoiding stress since hormones released while stressed could increase the swelling of the potentially lethal tumour. Laura, who works in tech support, said: "AVMs are nicknamed ticking time bombs because the more blood that flows into them, the more it weakens the walls of the blood vessels, which can be fatal. "The tumour stretches across my entire top lip and goes through to the base of my nose, it's the shape of an egg and causes me a lot of pain. "When I was going through a lot of emotional stress, it increased the size of my AVM because of the hormones that were released. "Now I'm trying to escape from anything stressful - even crying hurt my face too, so I have to take walks or distract myself. Read More * Thousands of patients could be denied life-extending drugs and treatment in wake of Brexit "Everything I do revolves around my AVM and trying to remain happy to keep stress-free and any avoid hormonal changes - it's like trying to be little miss happy. "For the last three years I had a small veiny patch of skin right under my nose, when I started to get pains in my lip and gums I was really concerned. "All my doctors were baffled until an ENT doctor checking my sinuses looked at the lump and believed it was an AVM straight away. Laura pictured now Laura's tumour could resurface if stress hormones caused the vessels to swell and direct blood away from the brain (Photo: Caters) "After two years trying to get a medical diagnosis when doctors performed an ultrasound they could hear a heartbeat coming from AVM, which was causing me a lot of pain. "Eventually I found someone who would operate but the two surgeries failed and caused the AVM to grow back even more. "I wasn't angry because AVMs are unpredictable and difficult to treat, I was just relieved that at least someone was willing to try to save my life. "Now a specialist has offered to operate I have to wait until next year as I only have insurance that covers my medical care while I'm in this state and the surgeon is in Arkansas. "I have been warned that waiting such a long time could have repercussions, the damage could be much greater and riskier, but I don't have any other choice. "I've got to accept that it will continue to grow between now and then and all I can do is pray that my body can cope with it." Laura first believed the sore dry skin underneath her nostril was caused by extreme eczema in late 2013. Read More * Doctors told schoolboy his headaches were exam stress but it was actually a brain tumour After she felt pain in her gums and a small lump form she went to multiple doctors, but wasn't diagnosed with an AVM until she mentioned it while speaking to a specialist about sinus problems. Since then she spent two years trying to find someone to operate on her without luck until last year. Laura's injury to the top of her mouth Laura lost a lot of skin off the top of her mouth after the second surgery due to the failed treatment (Photo: Caters) She added: "I was offered radiation treatment but it would make me lose all of my teeth and could cause me to develop cancer, even then there would only be a 10 percent change of shrinking it. "After the two failed surgeries I nearly gave up hope, but knew I had to keep battling for my children. "I'm on low doses of blood pressure medication now that calm my nerves, without it I'd be a lot more stressed. "I'm trying to keep positive, monitor my adrenaline and to keep my stress levels down." AVMs are believed to affect 0.02% of the global population, accounting for 18 in 100,000 people, and can affect any part of the body with blood vessels. Lucas Elijovich, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, said: "AVMs are an abnormal tangle of arteries and veins, called a nidus, where they connect to one another. Lauras AVM scan which is situated in her nose and above her mouth Laura's AVM scan shows the vessels clustered in her nose and above her mouth (Photo: Caters) "Over time AVM growth can cause disfigurement to the adjacent tissue and has a risk of bleeding if the AVM erodes the skin surface. "There can be causes that activate growth and activity within AVMs, the most well-known trigger is to do with the hormones. "Stress is linked to hormones and over time lesions can grow, particularly during puberty or pregnancy where there is a rapid change in hormones. "The best treatment, embolization on its own or combined with surgery, is largely dependent on the AVM location and which technique will allow definitive treatment of the entire AVM. Read More * Scientists believe fat rather than sugar cells are key to cancer puzzle "The decision is made by what will cause the least amount of collateral damage to adjacent facial tissue and delicate structures like the eyes which could have cosmetic or functional consequences." * Like us on Facebook * Follow us on Twitter * Daily Newsletter * Follow @irishmirror Subscribe to our Daily newsletterEnter email ____________________Subscribe Comments Show more comments More On * Hospitals * Pregnancy * Blood pressure * Stress * Cancer * news * all * Most Read * Most Recent [PAY-Laura-after-second-surgery.jpg] World NewsGirl kidnapped after opening Christmas presents sexually abused and abandoned in woods next to fiend's dead body The man police think was responsible for leaving the girl badly injured in the wood was found dead at the scene after apparently committing suicide [PAY-Laura-after-second-surgery.jpg] World NewsWhy does Kate wear so many plasters? 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