I have been diagnosed with womb cancer grade one and been given a date for a hysterectomy eight weeks away. Should I be worried about the wait? Is it worth trying to go privately ? Thank you
I have been diagnosed with womb cancer grade one and been given a date for a hysterectomy eight weeks away. Should I be worried about the wait? Is it worth trying to go privately ? Thank you
Good morning Porridge,
Thank you for getting in touch and welcome to our online community, I hope you find it supportive. I’m Helen, one of the cancer information nurse specialists on the Macmillan support line.
I’m sorry to read you’ve been diagnosed with womb cancer. When you’ve been diagnosed and agreed a treatment plan with your team, it’s understandable you may be worried about the waiting time for your hysterectomy.
There are things you can do to help in the meantime to prepare for your surgery both mentally and physically.
The timeframe from being diagnosed to starting primary treatment depends on which part of the UK you live and the individual NHS hospital waiting times.
Macmillan’s understanding your cancer care rights guide details general information about how long you can expect to start your first treatment on the NHS. Based on current NHS guidelines, if your doctor has diagnosed a new primary cancer rather than a recurrence, you should wait no more than 2 months (62 days) to start treatment. This time starts on the date that the hospital has received an urgent referral for suspected cancer.
The best people to ask more questions about the treatment planning and cancer waiting time for surgery at your hospital, would be your surgeon and clinical nurse specialist.
Although we’re unable to make recommendations through this platform in relation to going privately, I hope our guidance on seeking a second opinion and Cancer Research UK’s information on private cancer treatment will be helpful for you.
If you’re feeling worried or anxious about the wait, you’d be more than welcome to talk things through with us. On the Macmillan support line we offer confidential general cancer information, emotional, practical, and financial support to everyone affected by cancer.
I hope this information is helpful but if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.
Best wishes,
Helen, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us.
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