Paul Keogh
Neon Roberts, the little boy whose mum took him on the run to prevent him having radiotherapy has been told his cancer is back, his heartbroken mum Sally has revealed.
Doctors have told seven-year-old Neon Roberts' parents that cancer had returned to the area where the previous medulloblastoma tumour was removed during a nine-hour operation on October 25.
A one centimetre mass was spotted after an MRI scan on Friday. Further tests performed on Monday afternoon confirmed the worst, said Sally Roberts.
"It is dreadful, it is really awful. It does seem to be a one centimetre regrowth and they want to do more surgery," she told the Daily Mail.
"But the doctors are saying it is not too bad. It is in the big cavity where the last tumour was so it could be a lot worse. Everyone is very positive about it."
Despite this, Sally, 37, said she was only '50/50' about wanting the aggressive treatment for her son.
"It's all up in the air," she said. "I don't want my boy to have radiotherapy because of the side effects. I still think Neon does not need it.
"I will continue to do research. If I can find any doctor who says he does not need it I will continue to fight."
Sally sparked a nationwide hunt 10 days ago when she went on the run with Neon. The mother of two disappeared after a doctor told her radiotherapy was needed to 'fry his brain' to make sure cancer did not return following an operation to remove a large brain tumour in October.
Authorities tracked them down last Thursday. Neon is now being looked after by his father, Sally's estranged husband, Ben.
Sally has been fighting a legal battle with two hospitals to stop them giving Neon the treatment, arguing that he should be healed with alternative therapies instead.
However, Neon's father believes he should have conventional treatment.
The little boy now needs further surgery to remove the regrowth and courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy – although Sally is seeking second opinions on the scans before consenting.
A High Court judgment on whether Mrs Roberts could prevent her son having radiotherapy was adjourned on Saturday. It will make its ruling next Tuesday, following updated medical reports.