Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Emmerdale's Cain Dingle is hit with some difficult news about his cancer next week, following an incident in the village that he finds embarrassing.
The consultant, Ms Rhodes, tells Cain and his wife Moira that tests following his surgery show that his cancer has spread further, meaning more treatment is needed.
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As Cain struggles to get his head around the idea, Ms Rhodes breaks the news that he'll need to wait a few months to allow time to heal from the first surgery – and the enormity of what he's facing sends Cain spiralling…
"Like every other cancer patient, all Cain wanted to hear was that he was cancer-free, so this is a huge blow," shares our Emmerdale insider. "Ms Rhodes tries to reassure him that the initial surgery was successful, but all he can focus on is the reality of undergoing yet more treatment and what that'll mean for his future.
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"There's nothing anyone can say to reassure Cain that things will get better."
It took a lot for Cain's loved ones to convince him to have the original surgery, so it's a precarious time as he considers his options.
Worse still, he's contending with symptoms which he fears are making him less of a man, even though that's not the case.
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His fears are realised when he goes to see his son Kyle Winchester be sworn in as an Army cadet, but has to rush off just as the schoolboy is taking the stage. Poor Kyle doesn't realise that Cain has gone because he's had an accident and is in the Woolpack toilets trying to conceal a wet patch.
Thankfully for Cain, vicar Charles Anderson realises what's happened and he and Bob Hope come to the rescue with clean clothes. But the incident serves to highlight that everything Cain had feared is coming true.
"For a man like Cain, the idea of these symptoms becoming a permanent feature of his life is unacceptable," our source adds. "But the consultant has to explain that this is a possibility, which plunges Cain into further turmoil."
As Moira tries to be his rock, Cain can't help but feel even more alone. Can he find the strength to face this latest setback and accept all the help he can get?
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
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