My Husbands GP misdiagnosed him for 3 years

Hi rosemaryc  I’m really sorry to hear about what you and your husband are going through at the moment. However, it’s good that you’ve reached out to us. It’s impossible to say whether or not your husband has anal cancer, he does need a physical examination by a GP as soon as possible. I would tell the receptionist when you call you are worried about cancer so you don’t get fobbed off and are given an urgent appointment. When your husband sees the GP I would specifically mention the fact you are both worried about it being anal cancer and request a referral to a colo-rectal consultant. Please bear in mind that anal cancer is quite rare so these lumps could be due to other conditions but it best to get these things checked out, cancer can happen to anyone as you say. It does sound encouraging that the original lump hasn’t grown. I hope it turns out that all is well. Please let us know if you have any other questions or worries. Bev x

PLEASE DO GET CHECKED OUT. In Sept 21 I had a routine smear test reported a possible abnormality to the nurse conducting the test. Said she could not feel anything. I explained it was more prominent when I was sitting up. Didn't bother asking me to sit up. Just "safety netted" me by saying if you are still worried make an appointment with your GP in a couple of weeks. I didn't if nurse couldn't feel it then must be my imagination right? October 21 smear test positive for HPV. Nov 21 telephone appointment to discuss HPV positive result. I mentioned the abnormality twice. Eventually GP said face to face appointments are difficult to come by and managed to get me one for 2 weeks later! I have since had chemeoradiation therapy which was unsuccessful and am now facing APR surgery. I often wonder how different things would have been had the nurse in the first instance had persisted to feel the abnormality. We had a positive HPV result and a lump between vagina and anus and still the penny didn't drop with GP in second instance. Google it!! Results were spot on! SCC of anal canal. I had no support from my GP from first diagnosis. Raised a significant event and still they didn't make an effort to put things right. I have now made a complaint to NHS England. Someone will listen to me and awareness be raised. That is how realistically it can all go pear shaped! Anal swabs can be conducted on men too. After all that make sure your husband gets checked out and referred. I do hope the only results you receive are positive.xx

In the light of what you have been through and what you are now facing, I am so glad (and impressed in no small measure) that you are so full of fighting spirit and complaining about this.  My cousin is going through a major complaint about her GP practice.  Her abnormal breast scan results sat somewhere in their filing system for eighteen months and she thought everything was ok.  All the surgery said in their defence was the onus is on the patient to find out, only problem was she wasn't told to call back, and she has undergone multiple major surgeries, chemo and coping with the aftermath of breast cancer since then.

Irene xx

I can only echo what the others are saying on here, shout loud enough to be heard and don't take no for an answer.  I am so sorry you are going through this and hopeful that everything will turn out to be just fine, but you are absolutely right to be pressing on for further investigation.  It isn't your job to identify lumps and bumps but I am so happy he has you by his side - keep pushing for an appointment with a specialist.  Please come back and let us know how he is getting on, we are all thinking about him (and you).

Irene xx

Sending love to your cousin Irene. I am glad she is fighting her corner too!  I was quite calm about it all and probably would have remained that way until the situation deteriorated. Practices need to improve and won't if people do not speak up. Apparently the lack of support was due to my named GP being on maternity leave. Didn't even know I had a named GP. Senior partner told me at a meeting I insisted on that nurse conducting smear test probably thought it was a cyst. Funny as she told me she couldn't feel anything. Sorry if I sound angry. Not really just feel as though the system has failed me. These are people's lives.  I have to say as from GP referral hospital treatment was second to none. Timely compassionate and efficient.

Thank you.  I haven't been able to see her recently but she is back at work, she is self-employed with a hefty mortgage hence her rushing back to work after her tests and lacking curiosity (she is the first to admit that).

Please don't apologise for sounding angry, in your shoes I would be too.  Hindsight often comes all too late unfortunately, and most of us take as gospel what we are told.  It is hardly surprising that the results of a survey found the grumpiest, hardest-to-please patients lived longest, which bears out what they say about the squeakiest hinge being oiled first!

Irene xx

I'm so glad you guys didn't let it go! Chances are still good that it's NOT anal cancer, but if it is, your husband's youth and good health will put him ahead of the game. 

I too spent two years trying to find a doctor who would  help me alleviate my anal pain and got brushed off over and over. It's maddening. 

Don't let them fob you off with what it's not. Unless they can tell you what it IS, and that it's not cancer, stay on their asses.

Hugs

Suz

Hi rosemaryc ,

I agree with all that’s been said here. The likelihood is that it’s not anal cancer but that doesn’t rule out the small chance that it could be!!

Your husband SHOULD NOT allow this to be brushed aside for a third time without proper investigation. My oncologist knew I volunteered here on the Macmillan online community & I would often pick his brains during my check-ups, he’s a lovely, kind, patient man, I asked him one day what could be done at GP level to improve early diagnosis as so many people receive late stage diagnosis with anal cancer due to a misdiagnosis of haemorrhoids etc., he explained that many of the symptoms of anal cancer are akin to those of haemorrhoids, anal fissures etc., but if it’s not offered by the GP then you should request an DRE (digital rectal examination). He said that this is the only way to determine if further tests are required, biopsies, colonoscopies, flexible sigmoidoscopy etc. When I first visited my GP with what I thought was an external skin tag/polyp (no pain, tiny spot of blood after wiping!) the first thing she did after examining me externally was to ask if was ok with her doing an internal examination. I was immediately put on the 2 week pathway to the lower colon team at my local hospital where after going in as a day case & having a biopsy & flexible sigmoidoscopy done, approximately 2 weeks later I received my diagnosis. I was lucky partly because I went to my GP as soon as I suspected something was wrong & partly down to a very diligent, young locum GP, who I will be forever grateful to, I was picked up at stage 1 thankfully. 

This is probably nothing to be overly concerned about but whatever this is sounds as though it’s progressing so please tell your husband he is his own best advocate & to be insistent that if his GP is certain this isn’t anal cancer then he needs to know exactly what it is!! 

Good luck. 

Nicola 

Hi MiniM66  I’ve just read your reply on here and wanted To message as your diagnosis is so similar to mine. I’ve also made complaints to my surgery but not been acknowledged. I want to take it further but have no idea where to start. Maybe we could chat via dm. ? 
best wishes kerrie