Timescale from diagnosis to treatment

Hi Albert 51,

Sounds about right in my experience. You could go private but I don't think helps with timescales. I was diagnosed in march 21st and saw oncologist on May 22.

Please click on my picture icon and it will take you to my diary of events. It's may help you but each journey is different.

So sorry that you find yourself here. It's a rollercoaster of a ride. Stay positive and deal with each day as it arrives.

Best regards

Geo.

Thanks Geo, 

I suppose what has set my anxiety off is the last minute cancellation. My daughter has found something somewhere on this site which gives 2 to 3 months from diagnoses to treatment. Oh well.

all the best

Albert

HI, yes my partner was diagnosed December, chemo started March, surgery May, post chemo Aug/Sept so 9 months from start to finish.  We were meant to start fertility treatment when he got his chemo date and they said he could put the chemo off for a few weeks (we said no) but they explained it wont make much difference.   If that helps any, its pretty normal 

Hope you get sorted asap :)

Thanks Samantha,

Thats reassuring to know, just my anxiety to see a doctor as I haven’t seen one yet.

All the best

Albert

Hi Albert51

I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. It is obviously a huge worry waiting for appointments/scans and ultimately treatment to start.

In my dad's case, he had an endoscopy at end of Feb this year, confirmed it was cancer by early March and had CT and PET scans and fitness test done within March as well a meeting with his MDT team! He saw his oncologist at the beginning of April and his actual chemo started on 26th April. Everyone seems to have a different timeline of treatments starting so I consider my dad very lucky that things seemed to happen quickly for him.

It awful when an appointment gets pushed back, especially at the beginning when your worries will be at an all time high. I would keep ringing your hospital and chasing things as you never know they might get a cancellation? Worth a try. I wish you all the very best going forward, take care x

Thanks,

Your right the timescales do seem to differ, I have just the seen the NHS guidelines of 62 days.

all the best

Albert

We found tha at the beginning but once you get the 1st appointment it seemed to all go very fast.. Its difficult waiting so hope it wont be too long for you

Thanks Samantha,

I’m pleased you said that as it seems to be dragging at the moment.

all the best

Hi Albert,

There are 2 NHS targets. 62 days is from referral by GP until first treatment and 31 days is from decision to treat. 

Targets for cancer waiting times

The draft waiting times targets for cancer state that:

• At least 98% of patients diagnosed with cancer should receive their first definitive treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat.
• At least 95% of patients should begin their first definitive treatment for cancer within 62 days following an urgent GP referral for suspect cancer.

Each health authority should also publish their own statistics for each quarter. For where I live in Northern Ireland, the statistics for the 31 day target for the second quarter of this year are as follows;

Waiting times for first definitive treatment following a decision to treat (31 day target)

• In the quarter ending June 2023, 2,769 patients commenced their first treatment for cancer following a decision to treat being taken, 0.5% (15) fewer than in the previous quarter (2,784), and 4.1% (109) more than in the same quarter last year (2,660).
• 87.9% (2,435) of those patients started treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat, compared with 87.8% (2,445) in the previous quarter and 86.2% (2,293) in the same quarter last year.

I had my meeting with the MDT on 7th Nov, which I presume counts as my “decision to treat” so I’m hoping to start my first cycle of chemo in the next 4 weeks (I’m booked in for a laparoscopy on 15th If I can get 2 cycles in before Christmas, then I’m hoping that that might shrink the tumour enough to allow me to enjoy my Christmas dinner Staying as positive as possible over the next while I think is going to be key. Hope you can do the same. Regards, Richard

Thanks Richard,

That’s interesting, I think I will be outside of those figures unfortunately.

all the best