Neck Lump

Good afternoon Diane C,

Thank you for getting in touch and welcome to our online community, I hope you find it supportive. My name is Helen and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

I’m sorry to read you are undergoing tests for a neck lump and have been referred to a specialist. This is quite often the most challenging time as you wait for tests and results. It’s understandable you feel this way and I’m glad you’ve reached out to us for some support.

In England the NHS two week wait referral process changed in October 2023 and a new target was introduced called the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS). The target is that you should not wait more than 28 days from referral to finding out whether you have cancer or not.

In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, they do not have a Faster Diagnosis Standard, however you can find out more information about this here.

When you have your first specialist consultation at the hospital you may speak to a nurse or doctor first or you may be sent for further tests. You can find more general information about this on Cancer Research UK. For peace of mind and so you know what to expect on the day, you can ring the department before your appointment to ask what will be happening while you’re there.

You may wish to take someone with you for support and make some notes to take away.

It is normal to worry when you are urgently referred. However, more than 9 out of 10 people (more than 90% of people) who have an urgent suspected cancer referral will not be diagnosed with cancer.

I can appreciate your reasons for going online to search for information. It’s natural to try and piece things together yourself. If you’re able, try to refrain from searching too deeply online for causes of symptoms or blood test results as before you know it, you can find yourself in a place which may not be relevant to your situation. This can increase your anxiety even more.

If you feel the worry and anxiety of the situation is getting the better of you then please do reach out to your GP. There is also an online resource with some self-help tools called NHS every mind matters. You may find this helpful and find ways to cope with these feelings over the next couple of weeks.

Some people find it supportive to speak to us and have a listening ear at the end of the line. You’d be very welcome to talk things through and share your concerns.

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. 

Ref/HeP/GH