How were you told you have cancer?
Together we will beat cancer
More…
More…
More…
More…
You are here
We know it’s a worrying time for people with cancer. Please read our information about coronavirus and cancer alongside this page. If you have symptoms of cancer you should still contact your doctor and go to any appointments you have. Spotting cancer early means treatment is more likely to be successful.
16 posts since
31 Dec 2019
Hello
just wondering how you found out you had cancer!
phone call?
consultation?
letter?
please let me know 
471 posts since
11 Jun 2017
Phone call.
64 posts since
23 Oct 2019
Phone all though my surgeon who did my first Colascopy told me he thought it was cancer
1233 posts since
12 Jan 2011
First time (prostate cancer) by the consultant in person. I was then handed over to a Macmillan nurse. Both consultant and nurse were very reassuring.
Second time (bladder cancer), it showed up on the cystoscope screen, so the doctor and I knew it at the same time. The doctor immediately reassured me that this was very small and highly curable. The same doctor did my followup cystoscopy, where I’m pleased to say that nothing nasty was found.
I can’t fault the way I was told in either case – and I’ve been lucky that both times it’s been caught nice and early.
833 posts since
3 Dec 2019
Hi imoinnaomi i was told right after my biopsy by the same nurse who did it, was still sat on the table, i was then shown a private room to wait for consultant who made small talk for a while before getting to main subject,, i told her i already know nurse told me, she went to nurse and played hell nurse wasn’t supposed to tell me.. Oh prostate Cancer just so you know…… Billy
85 posts since
8 May 2019
Hey I was told after having a few hrs of biopsies being done, by a surgeon there and then.
2 posts since
2 Jan 2020
I was told I had cervical cancer by a nurse when I went for my colonoscopy appointment after an abnormal smear – she told me before she had even looked at me and then confirmed it a week later in a phone call. I then had a radical hysterectomy before Christmas and told afterwards that it all went well. 3 weeks later I went to my follow up appointment to get the all clear and was told that they had found a second primary cancer in my Fallopian tube and that I will need chemotherapy soon.
85 posts since
8 May 2019
I had a hysterectomy for the same reason but they took my tubes away at the same time I was lucky that I didn’t need treatment good luck with the chemo xxx
27 posts since
29 Nov 2019
I wish I had been told earlier and preferably by phone. It was obvious I had a tumour (cervical), but I was allowed to go on holiday for three weeks (last Sept), then the hysteroscopy was delayed by a week, so from my initial appointment with GP, it wasn’t until early November that I was told the truth. They obviously wanted to tell me, but just gave me grave looks which I misinterpreted, but maybe they’re not allowed to mention the word “cancer” until it’s confirmed. I then kept receiving all these strange letters saying “we strongly recommend, if you have a partner, that they accompany you to this appointment”… that sent alarm bells. But it wasn’t until I was sitting in the waiting room surrounded by MacMillan cancer booklets that it finally clicked! I was then told I had cervical cancer by a consultant and her entourage, but she gave no details… which sent me into a frenzy of worry. I was then passed to the MacMillan nurse in a state of shock. It was then another three weeks after MRI/CT/PET that I finally had the diagnoses. Once I had the facts I was fine, but I lost a stone in weight and was so traumatised that only the people on this forum can appreciate. And yet it seems like other doctors (from reading this thread) are quite capable of communicating like normal people.
64 posts since
10 Jan 2020
Routine dental check, spotted a very small mark under my tongue. Referred to hospital, biopsy,scans and then surgery. All in the space of about 7 weeks.
Don’t put off routine dental care!! Cheers. Col.
2 posts since
21 Jan 2020
i went to my gp because my voice was becoming very weak cut a long story short he told me to gargle with ,salt water afterv ac ninety second consultatoin thus being luled into a false sence o of it cant be anything serious four weeks later andm feeling very concerned i saw a differant mgp who fast tracked me to ent clinic and was meradiatly diagnosed with cancem of the asophagus the salt water did not work then a little hick up with my electronic records but we gotthere in the end
2756 posts since
7 Oct 2013
Hi,
Good question. The vast majority of patients are told face to face by a consultant. The Trust I am under won’t even give good news out over the phone to avoid people assuming the news is bad if they are called in for a face to face consultation. This is best practice – sadly not everyone follows it.
I was told face to face in a rather bruaque manner.
You know tumours were seen during your endoscopy.
My wife: Is it cancer?
Yes, the biopsis and CT scan confirm that it is stage 4 cancer, inoperable and incurable so I’ referring you for palliative care. Any questions?!?!
883 posts since
13 Mar 2018
Hi
My first diagnosis was face to face with a nurse, the second diagnosis was on the phone with a nurse, however, she got it wrong and I only knew the truth when I met the surgeon weeks later.
179 posts since
9 Dec 2019
I was told on my own in hospital,by a very young member of my team that only dealsnin gastro bynthe way,she came to my bed smiling and told me I had lung cancer and was sending me home with palliative care,and just walked away from me,I nearly died there and then with shock,I complained crying to nurse on duty so this young lady was hailed back up to me with head team to apologize,but I told them the damage was done at that stage,she got a right going and sent home for the day,I was taken to another hospital wherenive had 4 chemo’s and Oncologist has told me chemo is shrinking the cancer,going toward with treatment next week,don’t know if they will keep me on chemo or maybe some radiotherapy,
But that initial Diagnosis has destroyed my mental health,praying this cancer continues to shrink.
Angie,x
1 posts since
25 Jan 2020
Hi
I went for biopsies last week, unfortunately for me I used to work in the department so when I was sent for mammos I knew then I had cancer (33 yo, not routine to have mammos) went back along to nurse, stated that didnt look good, come back in week for results.
Seen consultant yesterday confirmed grade3 HER2 + beast cancer. Start treatment in few weeks.
Hard going, as have 6month old baby.
Mo
How were you told you have cancer?
Research & References of How were you told you have cancer?|A&C Accounting And Tax Services
Source
0 Comments