Advice for delays in getting mum treatment - please help

Hi Nazia sorry to hear about your mum. I know how scary this must be for you both. Unfortunately biopsies and molecular testing does take time. On average it does take about 14 days for these results to come back, but this does vary depending on the hospital. I have known people in this group to be waiting 3-4 weeks for results. Hopefully mum won’t have to wait that long.

There are NICE guidelines which determine how long you should wait for treatment I will post some information below regarding this. I think the 2 week pathway you are thinking of, is when a doctor refers a patient to the hospital, and they must be seen in 2 weeks for tests. 

There are waiting time targets to start treatment.

In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland the current targets are:

• no more than 2 months (62 days) wait between the date the hospital receives an urgent suspected cancer referral and the start of treatment

• no more than 31 days wait between the meeting at which you and your doctor agree the treatment plan and the start of treatment

Thanks so much. I appreciate NHS are stretched but they aren’t being transparent about chasing. If there is a delay we need to understand what exactly the delay is. 
I don’t want to take my eye off the ball as it’s my dear mother and it’s quite anxiety triggering to be waiting in the unknown. 

I hope we will be able to get some clarity soon. If other patients have waited longer, it does not make it ok (tho I appreciate it is just an example) the reason why my mum is in the position is because of the GPs overlooking her symptoms so I would not like to take any further risks again

Yes I fully understand how you feel, and it is wrong you have to chase them for results, but that is the sad state of our NHS unfortunately. I am currently in a similar position with my step mother who was fobbed off for over a year by her GP and it turns out she has incurable ovarian cancer. If she had been diagnosed a year ago she would have stood a better chance of a cure. 

Your mum is lucky she has you to fight her corner. I truly hope you get the answers you need soon. 

Hello Naz, I have just been through a similar pathway and appreciate the point you are making. Prior to that I waited more than two months for a BCC to be seen only to be suggested i was suffering from depression. It was a BCC by  the way my second time, then my recent xrays came up with lung cancer in more than one area. The hospitals seem to be coming up with two week appointments at outset,  however some results of tests   take much longer at my local hospital. I have just had radiotherapy which means all the tests have taken around seven months if that helps you. I am due a post radiotherapy  scan this weekend  so fingers crossed its a good result. Hope your mums results  come through soon and you can persue the best options for her. Best wishes to you both.  

Thanks so much Katie. I’m sorry it has taken so long for you to get any treatment but I hope netherless that it helps and you get positive results.

we just heard back from the nurse specialist that the results will arrive tomorrow. I just wonder how much of my persistent chasing has influenced this as I’ve heard some awful stories about the delay and lack of proactiveness from the staff. 

thanks for reaching out I really appreciate it xx

Thanks so much Chelle

yes we have to keep pushing. I called them today leaving a voicemail and was called back with an update to say the results will be here tomorrow. I do believe we need to keep pushing and chasing otherwise it will be easy for them to put the onus on awaiting for results. I understand this may be the case due to other responsibilities but I will continue to persist and fight for my mum as it’s the least I can do. 

thank you so much, I hope your step mum is ok and the treatment will help her ️

That is really good to hear that the results are in tomorrow. Please let us know how mum gets on. 

Thanks Chelle, I will do xx 

Hi, sorry to hear about your mum.

The NICE guidelines for the UK from diagnosis to treatment is 62 days. I live in Wales, where the guidelines also apply, but the time it took for me from diagnosis to treatment was 96 days, by which time the lesion in my lung had grown an extra half a centimetre measuring 31mm, so just over 3cm. I had requested SABR radiotherapy and refused surgery. I eventually had my radiotherapy arranged, and thankfully the lesion was still within the size range, albeit just about, for SABR but had to travel 100 miles round trip every other day for three weeks because the Cancer Centre where I live don't have the facilities for SABR treatment.

My radiotherapy treatment has been positive and I had my second follow up CT scan two weeks ago with the results two days ago, which where very reassuring.

The two weeks wait is for the "two week cancer pathway", which is the time for a patient to be referred from their GP and be seen by a specialist.

I hope everything is okay and your mum is not waiting too long for her treatment. 

You are very welcome and do try to stay positive not easy I know. x