Awaiting Biopsy Results

Good evening LauraTT, sorry to hear of your diagnosis, if you are not having surgery then the normal options are Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, sometimes its just chemo or just radio but in most cases, its both but only the oncologist can decide or recommend this., radiotherapy is normally thirty treatments ( so between 4 and 6 weeks ) with the chemo squeezed in during the radio sessions where it's normally a day in the hospital with the chemo, i had three sessions of chemo but a lot only have two. But if you are just having chemo without radio its can be up to six doses. So as you can see its all if and buts at the moment, Your job will be ok to begin with but sometimes the side effects from the treatment can make you unfit to work, especially in your sort of job, but please do not worry about that just yet, you cannot be sacked because you are having cancer treatment and there are benefits that will help make up your loss of earnings IF needed. Only time will tell if you need to stop work for a period of time. I wish you all the best with your next appointment, please re-post if you need further advice, I'm sure you will get more replies tomorrow from the other guys on here, take care.

                                                                           Chris x

Hi laura

Do you have an appointment set up to discuss the results?

You should be hearing around two weeks after the biopsy.

Chris has summarised pretty well what might happen. If this is cancer then radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy is the usual treatment and you can honestly expect to be out of action for around six months though many folk are back at work sooner.

Macmillan can help with financial advice and your rights.

Check out these two links to get you started

Financial support

Talking to your employer

Best wishes and please do let us know how you get on. There are plenty of folk here who can hold your hand and give you practical advice

Hi Chris, thanks for the reply.

I know it's hard to give any answers without getting the full details so hopefully I'll know more on Thursday.

My thinking is that as there is definitely a mass there, whether it's cancer or not it is going to need to go as that must be what's causing my hoarse voice and difficulty swallowing, which has led to me having time off work recently.

I've been through all this with bowel cancer that I had surgery for 15 months ago and although I'm supposedly cured I'm still suffering the effects of that surgery and haven't managed to return to full time work yet.

Thanks

L

Thanks Dani

Yes I have an appointment on Thursday for the results. As I had biopsy last Tuesday and they have their MDT meetings on Fridays I'm wondering whether they'd have had chance to discuss it by this Thursday?

If the appointment is just to say whether or not it is cancer then surely they could do that over the phone rather than me having to trek over 20 miles to find out.

As I mentioned in my reply to Chris, I've been through this with bowel cancer before and with what I'm still going through after that surgery, to me quality of life is more important than quantity. I wish I'd stuck to that first time round.

Thanks

L

Hi Laura can’t really add to what  others have already said. Come back when you’ve had meeting snd will give you more advise if you need it. Sorry you’ve found yourself here again. 
Hazel x

Thanks 

LauraTT said:

If the appointment is just to say whether or not it is cancer then surely they could do that over the phone rather than me having to trek over 20 miles to find out.

Yes I’d be straight on to that. 
Hell, Laura. You’ve been through the mill. Hugs