Overwhelmed scared and anxious

Hi MissNat 

I am sorry your sister is going through the 2 week pathway with suspected cancer. I can imagine it’s hugely upsetting and distressing for all of you. The staff looking at mammograms and ultrasounds grade what they see on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is highly suspicious of cancer. They are very experienced in looking at images.

When I was at the 2 week clinic, I had been recalled from a standard mammogram graded as a 5. At the clinic I had a 3D mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. The radiologist doing the ultrasound examined me and then carefully took me through what he had seen. He said I think it’s cancer but occasionally something benign looks like cancer. We won’t know for sure until the biopsy but prepare yourself for a cancer diagnosis. I then went back to the nurse who asked if I had been told what they thought it was, and went through the next steps.  It meant that when I went back for my results I wasn’t blindsided. 

So based on what you have said, it sounds like your sister has been given the same sort of message I was given. The CT scan will be to check whether there is any sign of it having spread beyond her lymph nodes. The doctors will need the results from the scan and the biopsies before determining a treatment plan; the biopsies tell them more about the type of cancer  

It’s horrible to go though this but most cancers are treatable and people get good outcomes, even when it is present in lymph nodes.

Please feel free to talk to our nurses if you would like more information- the number is below. 

Hello thank you for getting back to me. I feel sick with worry and ive fallen into a google hole of awful stories - im scared what if its really serious and theres nothing that can be done? I also have health anxiety and have been hugely triggered by this x

Hi MissNat 

Please try not to google the awful stories. You don’t see the good stories of the vast majority who are treated and are absolutely fine. Even cancer that has spread can usually be treated and I know this because I have been living with metastatic tnbc since 2022. Please do call our nurses to go through your worries.