Referral to sarcoma team

Hi,

I was just wondering how things are? I'm currently in a similar position. I am awaiting an MRI for a lump ive had in my finger for years. I had an ultrasound scan when it first appeared around 5 years ago, was told it was nothing to worry about as it all looked like normal tissue. I l assumed it was just a fatty lump and left it alone. I then went back to the GP in July 2022 as it was causing pain. Was referred again for another scan (I waited 2 years for this! Therefore assumed it can't be urgent) had the scan 2 weeks ago and now I'm booked in for an MRI and have been referred to a sarcoma clinic at Morriston hospital. I'm besides myself with worry as I've had this so long and only now is it really being investigated. They must think its sarcoma to refer me. I have 2 very young children and I'm in a really dark place right now.

Hi Aakr I'm so sorry your going through this too. I know exactly how you feel. I'm still waiting I'm afraid. I've had my biopsy and haven't had the results yet. I was told before the biopsy that they aren't worried, they think it's a fat lump but at the biopsy the doctor said they are worried about some areas of it on the mri. I didn't know this so I went into even more of a panic. I thought the biopsy was to find out what kind of fat lump it was as it didn't look like a classic lipoma but I didn't realise they really did think it could be cancer. The mri had dark areas inside the lump and the rest looked like fat. Those are the areas they are worried about. To be honest I'm not coping very well with the waiting. I've been on Google way too much and read stories where people were told it was fat and then the biopsy shows high grade cancer. I'm terrified. OK so with your referral please don't worry too much. The sarcoma team also deal with benign lumps, that is probably why you have been referred there. Has your lump grown? Because things like this (cancerous or not) can be very tricky to remove and test you always get referred to that team because they are the best at dealing with them safely. So even if you had a confirmed lipoma they would still deal with it. Did they tell you anything about the ultrasound, has it got any concerning features? Has the mri been orded as routine or urgent? 

Hi Aakr,

I completely understand where you are coming from!  I got ordered an MRI and got referred to the sarcoma team at morriston hospital around a year ago,  this was after an ultrasound the same as you.  I can’t stress enough, this is normal for any lump you have and does not mean it is cancerous.  I did not hear off the sarcoma team at all until around a week after I had the MRI and then the specialist rang me to say they had viewed the images from my MRI at a multidisciplinary meeting and it was found that it was just a fatty lump with nothing to worry about.  They told me I could just leave it be and that there was nothing else that needed doing, unless it caused me pain, then they would look at removing it.  

It is normal to be referred as they are the specialists and can rule out anything sinister.  It’s horrible waiting, but you are in the best hands.  I know it doesn’t offer much reassurance when you are in this position, but I just wanted to let you know that the referral does not mean it’s the worse case scenario.

i hope all goes well and you get some good news soon!

Adam 

In sorry your still waiting, how long has it been now? I've been googling too, probably the worst thing we can do and it doesn't help that I lready have some health anxiety. 

Nothing was said at my recent ultrasound, just that it wasn't a lipoma. I asked if I should be worried and was told its highly unlikely as I've had it for such a long time, that if it was anything serious I would know about it by now. Then I get referred to the sarcoma team so it's been a massive shock. I appreciate  referrals go to them for investigation,  but it just seems cruel I haven't been given any information at all. My MRI is booked for the 15th of this month so I'm assuming it's urgent as I had the ultrasound on 22nd September. I can't help worrying that I could have had cancer for the last 5 years and haven't known. I also keep thinking that surely I'd know about it by now, but then I've read it can grow slowly for years. I honestly can't remember the size of it when it first appeared, it may have grown over the years but nothing too drastic where is has been noticeable to me.

I hope you get some answers soon x

Thank you and I'm so glad things worked out well for you.

• The concerning thing for me is that I haven't had my MRI yet and they have already contacted me. I can't help thinking something was seen on the ultrasound scan but they didn't say. All I know is that it isn't a lipoma, but ibwas told its highly unlikely to be anything serious considering I've had it for many years now. If it isn't a lipoma then I'm  ot sure what else it could be. I just feel very frustrated that this was never fully investigated years ago then I first discovered this lump. I've since had two babies and I can't  help but think the worst. My MRI is in 11 days and  guessing I'll have to wait for the results and then probably have a biopsy and then to wait again for those results. It took 2 years of waiting for this second ultrasound, seems a lot of time wasted when I probably should have had an MRI/ biopsy 5 years ago.